Wolf's Winter
by Beatrisu
Summary: Kakashi is injured, Iruka must take care of him - while still fulfilling all his duties as a school teacher. Laced with angst and suspense, and quite a bit of horror and romance. Overall rating: M. YAOI Please read disclaimers and warnings. Thank you.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** All Naruto characters belong to the mastermind Masashi Kishimoto. Everything else, such as plot, original characters and situations belong to Nobiki and myself.

**Warning:** Will be yaoi of the IruKaka kind later on. Don't like, don't read.

**Author: **Beatrisu and Nobiki

**About: **So I had this wonderful plotbunny that wouldn't stop nagging me, and I eventually managed to pester Nobiki into roleplaying it out with me. This is what came out in the end - a huge monster. It's not entirely finished yet, and I'm planning on finishing it myself, but the first chapters should be out fairly quickly. Whenever I have the time, I will edit and post.

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**Wolf's Winter – Prologue**

--

"Get him onto a stretcher! Careful, don't jostle him. We don't know which bones have been broken! If he ends up paralyzed, I'm not taking the blame for you, Hokage-sama will be furious!" The ANBU team bustled about the small clearing in which they had found Kakashi. The man was heavily injured and had been lying face down in a pool of his own blood. The squad leader stepped forward, helping with lifting Kakashi over onto the stretcher they had made, supporting his back to secure it in case it was broken.

"Good. Now, let's hurry back to the village. Medic, check his injuries first, see if he'll live!"

When Kakashi was checked, healed up a little and the worst gashes were bandaged, he was carried back to the village in a hurry. They were met by Tsunade at the gates, where she was waiting with a team of medics. The ANBU team set Kakashi down and disappeared in the shadows.

"Shizune, I need you to close the wounds that are still bleeding. Then we take him to the hospital and continue his treatment there. The gates are not proper accommodation for injured people." Tsunade frowned, walking back and forth, barking out orders. As soon as the Copy Ninja was well enough to be moved further, they would carry him to the hospital. She had never seen him this bashed before, and was rather worried. Hatake Kakashi always managed on his own, never failed a mission.

She looked him over one more time, this time noticing the small object hanging in a pouch around his neck. "And you never fail a mission, do you, Hatake Kakashi..."

--

He could vaguely recall a shout of warning and then searing pain - which had, by now, dulled to a vicious throbbing - before everything went black around the edges and he passed out. After that, everything had been blurry. He thought he remembered stumbling along winding paths, supporting himself on nearby trees, sometimes standing there for hours, just to regain his breath and not pass out.

The fact that he had managed to return to the village in one piece astounded him. He wasn't quite certain about the details of his return, he wasn't sure whether or not he'd managed alone or if someone had found him, but he knew for a fact that he was at the hospital. The scratchy sheets against his still-sore skin was a testimony to that.

Kakashi had been awake for a while now, but he couldn't quite open his eyes. That every limb on his body felt heavy and achy didn't exactly help, either. His eyes didn't seem to _want_ to open – the lids were too heavy – so he figured he'd just stay put, trapped between awake and unconsciousness for a little while longer.

He could vaguely remember Tsunade-sama's voice as she barked out orders after he'd been wrapped, nearly head to toe, in bandages, giving out orders on how best to heal him, what kind of treatment he should receive, and also how long he was confined to laying on his back. At the moment, he didn't quite protest the orders of bed rest. He would be quite happy if he was allowed to sleep for at least one more year, maybe two, maybe for the rest of his life. The light poking through his eyelids did not help him grow more tired, though; it just made him all the more aware of his aches and pains, and the slow throbbing in his head.

--

"Just perfectly fan-fucking-tastic." He murmured to himself, his voice raspy and hoarse from continuous disuse. And then, he remembered. His mask. Was he still wearing it? Had anybody seen him? Had they taken it off? Where was it now?

He could feel himself grow more and more frantic as he tried to lift his hand in order to feel it. He needed to know, _needed_! What if someone had taken it off?

Due to his panicking, he didn't notice the scent of lavender before a calm voice drifted into his awareness.

"Your mask is still on. Hokage-sama saw to it that they didn't remove it from your face. She reckoned you deserved your privacy." Ryu sat down beside Kakashi's bed, making himself comfortable, legs propped up on the bars keeping the rickety construction up.

"How do you feel, Kakashi?" Through his detached murmur Kakashi could detect a vague sort of concern. He debated with himself for a few moments on whether or not he should reply, before finally managing a small croak.

"I'm sorry. I didn't catch what you said."

"I said; 'It feels like someone tied me to a railway and had the train run over me before backing up again.'" Kakashi's voice was a small whisper, but this time Ryu could, hopefully, make out his words.

Apparently he did, because the tall jonin let out a soft snort and a chuckle. Kakashi cracked an eye open, only to shut it again, wincing at the blinding glare of the sunlight.

"You know, the sun's almost set. And there are no lights on in the room."

"Doesn't stop my head from hurting," Kakashi's voice was still unclear, but he was fairly certain that his slurred words were fairly intelligible.

"Perhaps not, but you should probably get used to being awake. And the fact that sometimes, being awake hurts."

Why did Ryu have to be so fucking _sensible_? It was unfair, really. Kakashi should feel scorned. And he would have, had he had the energy and will to contain such an emotion.

As he got no reply, Ryu stood and adjusted the pillow resting beneath Kakashi's head. "I hope you get better soon. I'll probably come visit again later… And I think you can expect to see Naruto some time before he leaves. Which is to say, before tomorrow."

Kakashi simply grunted in reply. He was well on his way to passing out again, and all too happy to oblige to his body's needs.

When the door closed behind Uzuki Ryu, he didn't even hear it.

--

That was it! I hope you all liked it! Don't forget to let us know what you think XD (hint - REVIEW)


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** All characters you recognize from the Naruto universe belong to Masashi Kishimoto. Plot, setting and original characters are copyrighted to me and Nobiki respectively. Do not use without permission.

**Warning: **Iruka puts his foot in his mouth. Eventual yaoi of the IruKaka kind. Don't like, don't read.

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**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 1**

--

Iruka sighed and stretched as he finished writing the test questions on the board. A quick touch of chakra and they disappeared. If anyone tried to tamper with them, he would know who it was. One less thing to do come Monday morning.

He looked out the window, watching the sun drift down below the trees. It hadn't even been two weeks, but suddenly, knowing Naruto was gone and wouldn't be back for years, it made it that much harder. Iruka put down the chalk and bent over to grasp his knees, pulling his head flush for a more complete stretch.

"Nice view, Sensei."

Iruka chuckled, watching short legs in an even shorter skirt come up behind him. As terrible as the attack on Konoha had been, he could say one good thing had come out of it - Anko. Working together during the evacuation, Iruka was surprised to find he liked the loud kunoichi. They kept in touch, and Anko had introduced him to all sorts of people a teacher like him would never have met before, at least not socially. He could tolerate the flirting, he knew she wasn't serious about it. She was as serious as he was when it came to her job, and that was something they had in common.

"I told you I'd meet you there."

Anko grinned and shrugged. "Change in plans. Aoba's coming along, so we're going someplace else."

"Anko-san, I told you I can't stay out too late. And I don't drink." He followed her out the door of his classroom, barely remembering to shut off the lights.

"This place is kind of a dive, but it has cheap booze, good food, and..."

"Wait, wait, don't tell me... dango."

"Yeah," Anko sighed, a dreamy look on her face. "Four different kinds."

The place _was_ a dive, but if Anko said the food was good, then it was. She was serious about food, too. They sat at simple benches just inside the bar, Iruka on one side facing the street, and Aoba and Anko on the other. It was cooler now. Iruka almost wished he'd stopped for ramen instead. Konoha didn't usually get cold in the winter, but it would be chilly in the morning.

"Hey, guess who's back in the hospital? Again." Aoba hunched down, motioning Anko and Iruka closer.

"Huh, not again." Anko snorted and sucked another dumpling into her mouth, chewing noisily. "I thought Kakashi was confined to bed for a month three weeks ago. Did he break out again?"

Iruka sat up, surprised. "Kakashi-sensei? He got hurt again?"

Aoba nodded. "Heard he was found laying in a pool of his own blood, about two kilometres outside the main gate."

"Tch. Sucks to be him. Who found him? ANBU?"

"Probably. Didn't ask. Izumo said Godaime was spitting mad about it, too."

"She shouldn't keep sending him out," Iruka muttered. He looked up, blushing slightly at the shocked looks of his tablemates. "I remember when we were all taking on extra missions, just after Godaime took over. Well, it seemed every time I got back from a mission, Kakashi-sensei was there, just back as well. And she would just hand him another one on the spot. No time to rest or eat. It's like the only way he can get a break is to get injured. That's no way to treat one of our best shinobi."

Iruka was looking down at his food, stabbing heatedly at a ball of squid, so he didn't see Aoba turn pale, or Anko's wide grin.

"So, Umino, you think you're the Hokage now? Think I'm doing a bad job?" Tsunade stood directly behind him, scowling down at him while Shizune stood behind her, biting her lip.

"N..n..no, Godaime." He struggled to his feet, knocking his plate onto the ground.

Tsunade tapped him on the shoulder, forcing him back down. The old bench gave a creak, then snapped, sending Iruka sprawling onto the ground, staring up her. He tried not to notice Anko and Aoba had managed to stand gracefully.

"Godaime, I didn't mean..."

"It is not your place to question me, boy! Now shut up! Are you or are you not a Konoha shinobi?"

Iruka nodded since he'd been forbidden to speak.

"And what exactly does that mean? Ah, ah, I'll answer that. It means you are a tool of the village, a tool for me to use as I see fit. And if I choose to use one tool over another, rest assured I have an excellent reason for it. Even if I don't share that reason with a chunin schoolteacher. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Godaime! I'm sorry, Godaime!" Iruka looked down at his feet, trying to dredge up the courage to speak. He clenched his fists and took a deep breath.

"Oh, you have more to say to me? Go ahead, I'm listening." Tsunade's eyes glittered dangerously, and even Shizune stepped back.

"I'm sorry, Godaime, but if you use the same tool over and over again, it will get dull and chipped. Eventually it won't be of any use to anyone."

Tsunade pressed her lips together, her eyes still narrowed. "But if I'm building something, shouldn't I use the best tool at my disposal? Otherwise the resulting structure will be substandard."

"Even the best tool needs to be sharpened once in a while. Oiled, cleaned. Put away in a soft pouch while a lesser tool is used." He stifled a giggle, realizing he had no clue what he was talking about. "I don't know much about carpentry," he admitted. "But I do know people. And people need rest. If Kakashi-sensei dies on a mission because he's exhausted, how is that helping Konoha?"

Looking up at her from his position on the floor, with her hands on her hips, Iruka suddenly remembered his mother, yelling at him for losing yet another bento box. He smiled, momentarily distracted. He hadn't thought about that in years.

"Did I say something funny?"

Iruka looked up, horrified he'd been caught daydreaming in the middle of a lecture. "No, Godaime. It's just...sitting down here, it's like I'm five years old all over again, and my mother is yelling at me for losing my lunchbox." He sat still, bracing for the blow he was sure would come. Even Shizune had gasped at his cheeky answer.

Apparently it had been the right thing to say after all. He saw Tsunade's lips twitch, and she shook her head, seemingly considering something. "Report to me at 6am tomorrow. We'll continue this discussion then."

"Yes, Godaime."

"And you two? Don't you have anything useful to do?"

Aoba squeaked, jumping to attention. "I'm scheduled to leave on a mission Monday. And there aren't any C or D missions available."

"You're a tokujo, aren't you? I'm sure we could find you a short-term B mission. Shizune, go down to the mission room and see what you can dig up."

"I'm leaving in the morning, Tsunade-sama," Anko said brightly, still grinning. "Two weeks, B rank."

Tsunade nodded, satisfied. "Remember, Iruka, 6am. You might want to get started repairing that bench, since you admit you're not much of a carpenter." She left the bar, trailed by a miserable Aoba.

"10 am," Shizune whispered, following quickly behind her mentor.

Iruka climbed to his feet, nodding when the owner brought him a small toolbox and a few pieces of wood. "Next time, Anko-san, let's stick to the original plan."

Anko chuckled and squatted down to help him. "Next time, Iruka-sensei, you should look around before you start spouting off."

--

Kakashi had been in the hospital for nearly two long weeks and was already bored out of his mind. Unfortunately for him, Tsunade had said that he should stay in bed for at least four weeks, a sentence that had been widened to four more weeks, and that he shouldn't move about much or use chakra. At all.

His wounds had closed up nicely, they were just waiting for the bones to set and the tendons to actually heal. Those took longer time than flesh and veins. And then, of course, there was the fact that if he got out of the hospital, he'd pester Tsunade into giving him another mission, right quick, and then he might not return.

So he kept his mouth shut and waited impatiently, remembering times past when he had to watch friends go into the hospital with grave injuries… Some of which never healed.

The only thing that annoyed him to no end was that he couldn't go through with his morning ritual of visiting the memorial stone.. The stone where his friends' names were written, where those he cared for were resting. It hurt, it hurt so much it was nearly driving him insane. Every day he spent, not able to converse with them – conversations that were rather one-sided, but needed – he felt more and more of his mind stripping away.

"What would you have done, sensei?" he murmured to himself.

No answer was forthcoming.

--

"What?! You're keeping me here even _longer_?!" Kakashi was actually shouting. For once. He could see a vein throbbing in Tsunade's forehead, but he didn't pay it any mind.

"I had an interesting conversation today, Hatake. You will stay here a couple weeks longer than initially intended. Of course, we could discharge you, but that would require a guard to your home. To make sure you don't leave."

Kakashi stared at the blonde woman in front of his hospital bed. Then he groaned. "Anywhere is better than here, Tsunade-sama. Anywhere is a lot better than here."

She smiled sweetly. "Good." Then she promptly turned and left the room, Shizune sending Kakashi an apologetic smile as she followed.

Once they were out of earshot, she murmured, "Where are we going?"

Tsunade smirked wickedly. "To pay Iruka-sensei a visit, Shizune. He _was_ concerned for Hatake-san's well-being, after all."

--

It was late by the time Iruka got home. Who knew fixing a bench would take so much effort? Apparently Anko wasn't much of a carpenter either. He dragged himself up the stairs, all four 

flights of them, and let himself into his flat, hoping he had something to eat inside. The icebox was bare, but he did have two packages of instant ramen in the cupboard.

He had just sat down when he heard a knock at the door. His blood chilled for a second, a memory flooding his mind of the last time someone banged on his door late at night. Iruka shook his head, standing up quickly. It was probably a neighbor, tipsy and wondering why his key wouldn't fit in the door.

"Godaime!" Iruka stood in his doorway, his head cocked to one side. The Hokage stood in front of him, her eyes flashing and mouth set in a grim smile. Shizune stood behind her, serious as always.

"Iruka-sensei."

He stared a little longer until Shizune coughed, motioning inside the hallway with her eyes.

"O-oh, please, come inside. Would you like some tea?" He suddenly noticed the sandals in the entry, laying on their side instead of in their cubby. His satchel, dropped next to a table. Was his bedroom door closed? The bed wasn't made, and he hadn't done laundry in a while. When was the last time he cleaned his toilet? Tomorrow, he resolved, he was going to clean his apartment.

"I think you'll want something stronger, Iruka."

Iruka nodded, thinking she meant _she_ would prefer something stronger. "I don't have any sake, but there is some beer in the icebox. Would that do?"

Shizune chuckled, quickly covering her mouth at the sharp look from Tsunade.

"No, thank you. We won't be here that long. I decided to move up our meeting. Oh, were you just now eating?" She pushed the bowl over to Iruka and smiled. "Go ahead, eat while I talk. It will save time."

Something in her tone killed Iruka's appetite, but he dutifully leaned against the counter and lifted the chopsticks to his mouth.

"I want you to take care of Kakashi."

Iruka set down his bowl and chopsticks with a clatter, grateful he hadn't dropped them and spit the mouthful of ramen on the women in front of him. "I'm sorry, I must have misunderstood. Could you please repeat that?"

"No, you heard me, Iruka. Seeing that you seem so concerned about his welfare, you are the most likely candidate for the job. Since I'm overusing his abilities and all." She grinned again, and Iruka thought perhaps Tsunade wasn't entirely stable.

"But you said he needs medical care. I'm not a medical ninja." Think, Iruka, think! he told himself. He had to be logical about this. _Somebody_ had to be logical about this.

"If he continues to rest, and refrains from stressing his injuries or his chakra system, he will 

not require anything more than periodic checkups, followed by some physical rehabilitation when the bones knit properly. You have advanced first aid training - that should be sufficient."

Iruka frowned, still thinking. "I have classes to teach, and shifts at the Mission Room, and missions of my own to complete. Even if I didn't take on missions, if his injuries are that bad, I doubt he could endure accompanying me every day."

"For now, Kakashi will be content to sleep most of the time. I will assign other shinobi to fill in for you once you and Kakashi come up with a schedule."

"Space!" Iruka grimaced at his overly-loud voice, but he was running out of excuses. "I don't have the space here. And Naruto told me Kakashi's place is even smaller." He smiled, hoping he looked properly contrite that he couldn't help Tsunade after all. Inside he was dancing.

He quailed when Tsunade stood up and threw open the door to his bedroom, Shizune peeking over her shoulder. The Hokage poked around his room for a few seconds, opening the closet, and then the door to the washroom.

"Your toilet is separate?"

Iruka nodded. "It's the door at the end of the hall."

"You don't have a tub?"

"No, Godaime. I have to use the public baths."

"And this is the only closet?"

He nodded again. It seemed this argument might actually work.

"No washing machine either?"

"No, Tsunade-sama. I use the kitchen sink usually. There is one on the first floor, but it doesn't always work." And tended to add more stains than it removed, but Iruka kept that comment to himself. He didn't want to get the landlord in trouble - his rent was very cheap.

Tsunade chuckled, turning around the small room again. "That explains the pile. Tell me, Iruka, are you always this messy?"

"Ummm." Iruka scratched at his cheek, wondering how to say 'no' without lying.

"I would never have guessed that. Can you cook?"

"Oh, yes. I can cook. It's just, tonight, I hadn't done any shopping, and I was tired. So..."

"Shizune, we're leaving. I'll see you tomorrow morning, Iruka. Don't be late."

Iruka saw the Hokage and her assistant out, sighing and leaning against the door. One arrow dodged. But why did she still want to see him tomorrow? And what nonsense was this about him taking care of Kakashi? They barely knew each other, but Iruka did know Kakashi 

wouldn't want him around. The man was intensely private. He was probably a clean-freak as well. They would drive each other insane inside of a day. And just how was he supposed to stop Kakashi from doing anything? Even injured, Kakashi could overpower him. No, it was for the best, Iruka decided. Tsunade probably just wanted him to come up with a list of possible candidates.

--

Tsunade was quiet. Shizune looked at her carefully, wondering why Tsunade had backed down so quickly. Unless...

"Shizune, did you find something for that Yamashiro guy to do?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama. A D-class mission came in. He's already left."

"D-class? What was it?"

Shizune ducked her head. The look on the man's face, well, Shizune wouldn't soon forget it. "Guarding sheep."

Tsunade snorted, shaking her head. "I heard him bellowing. Surely that isn't all there was to it?"

"No, Tsunade-sama. In the morning he will assist with, uh, washing the sheep. For shearing." Shizune smiled when Tsunade laughed, laughed with her whole body. "And it's been raining heavily, so the sheep, and the ground, are very muddy. He'll spend the rest of the day making sure the sheep stay clean until they're shorn."

"Good, good. I couldn't have written a better one myself. Arrange one of the guest houses for occupancy tomorrow morning. Two men. Full kitchen, full bath, with tub. We'll need two beds, or one bed and one futon. The brat will be annoyed, but he's not sturdy enough to sleep on the floor no matter what he says."

"Excuse me, Tsunade-sama. Do you still mean - "

"Shizune, I'm surprised at you. You didn't think I would give up just like that? No, Iruka had a point - neither of their flats are large enough. And I'll allow Iruka one last night of freedom. It will be so much better when he waltzes in here tomorrow. What time did I tell him?"

"6am, Tsunade-sama."

"Oh, well, don't wake me. Let him wait. And Shizune, see if you can get one with a garden away from the center of the village. The fresh air might do the brat some good. And it'll be easier for the guards to watch over both of them. A few large trees should do."

Shizune wasn't sure if the evil laugh she heard was real or imagined. Either way, the teacher was going to be sorry he opened his mouth.

--

If you read this far, it won't hurt to review XD


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Usual deal. Also, don't use the original characters without asking first, m'kay?

**Warning:** Errr… Yeah. Yaoi. If you by any chance didn't get the message in the first two parts, then….

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**Wolf's Winter - Chapter 2**

--

He looked up at the picturesque little cottage. It was just outside town, lovely and spacious with a rather nice patch of garden littered with trees - pine, maple and cherry. Someone had spent a whole lot of planning to get this one rented. Either that, or they had influence, and a lot of it. He kept suspecting that the Hokage was behind all this, but he couldn't be certain.

Either way, none of it mattered. The place was lovely, he was all alone, no sick-smell, no more doctors. He would go inside and sleep, and not be afraid of being woken or prodded with needles. Just what he needed; a vacation.

And then karma came back to bite him in the ass, as one Umino Iruka-sensei walked up the gravel path towards him. He glared, snarled and then finally, growled, trying in vain to scare the smiling chuunin away.

"Why in fucking hell are you here?" He ground out through gritted teeth, feeling as if someone had rubbed him the wrong way.

"No need to be testy, Kakashi-sensei. I'm just here to help you get well." The damned chuunin just wouldn't. Stop. Smiling.

"I don't need anymore help. The medics have fucked me up more than they needed to. I don't need you to try, as well." He turned and, without further words, walked inside to draw a bath and tumble into bed.

--

Iruka sat at the low table, half-listening to the even breathing coming from the other room. He was supposed to be grading papers, but each time he heard Kakashi move, he couldn't help tensing. The day had started off badly, and just kept getting worse. Iruka hadn't expected Kakashi to be happy to see him, but the man had been positively antagonistic from the moment Iruka appeared. Hadn't Tsunade told him Iruka would be there? Apparently not, and on some level, Iruka could understand. He didn't envy his Hokage her job. He just wanted her to be a little more careful. A little more like Sandaime.

Kakashi's injuries and abilities, or lack of them, had not been understated. First, he pulled a muscle when he tried to run himself a bath. He batted Iruka's hand away, snarling at him to 'Get out!', leaving Iruka to wait like a dog just outside the kitchen door. Until he heard Kakashi fall - then he had to stay, with Kakashi fighting him until they were both exhausted. It had taken all of Iruka's strength to drag the man back to the main house because Kakashi refused, absolutely refused, to let Iruka carry him. Perhaps Iruka dumped him on the bed with more force than he should have, but that had caused only a momentary stutter of silence 

before Kakashi's vitriol continued. Iruka was clumsy, Iruka was insensitive, he was noisy, and there was no way Kakashi was sharing a bedroom so Iruka could sleep in the main room. With the door shut.

So there he was, sitting in the pretty house that was really only one step above a barn, grading papers in the fading candlelight. There was limited electricity out here, enough for the tiny icebox and the heater under the tub. If it got cold, there was one kerosene heater for the entire house. Iruka would need to plan his time carefully - cooking, cleaning, shopping, and laundry, everything would take more time than usual. Just getting to class on time would take a miracle. Thank the gods he had brought his alarm clock. Checking the time again, Iruka stood and moved the table aside. He hoped the futon was clean. He hoped it wouldn't rain. He really hoped Kakashi would call him if the man needed something. Just in case, Iruka slid open the door between the two rooms, just a sliver.

--

Kakashi hated the fact that he needed Iruka's help so intensely, he didn't want to admit it. Oh, he knew why Iruka was there, and he knew exactly who had planned the whole bit... He even knew that she was right. Because Kakashi could feel _every_ sore spot so easily, it hurt him to move, yet... He couldn't admit to the fact that he actually needed help, for once. So, instead of accepting the help gratefully, he'd growled and snarled and _insisted_ that he managed everything just fine himself, thank you very much.

It wasn't that he wasn't an empathetic man, or a sympathetic man. He could clearly see how much his words and actions stung the kind chuunin, saw the strain it put him under. The only problem was, Kakashi couldn't stop defending himself. Because that was what it came down to. Defending himself.

And now he was thirsty, and that idiot had slid the door open. Fuck... He tugged the covers down and the mask up before sliding carefully, gingerly, into a sitting position. He almost didn't make it, it was horribly painful, but soon enough, he was sitting upright in bed.

The next hurdle was standing and making his way into the kitchen without alerting the chuunin.

He slowly made his way over to the paper-thin sliding door and peered outside at Iruka, who was sleeping close to the door on the futon. The blanket he was draped in was thin, and he was shivering. Kakashi steeled himself, not wanting to admit that he might actually care, before he stepped forward, felt his knee fail him, and thumped down on top of the chuunin with a pained cry.

--

Iruka woke up fighting, wishing he had thought to tuck a kunai under his pillow. Someone was attacking, obviously trying to get to Kakashi. Except... Iruka froze when he heard the moan of pain on his chest, and felt the tickle of hair on his cheek. "Kakashi-sensei?" He grinned when he saw the man bristle, struggling to push up. "What are you doing out of bed?"

"Thought I would go for a walk," the man muttered, half to himself. "Such a nice night, you know."

"If you need something, you're supposed to call me, Kakashi-sensei. How are you supposed to 

get better if you keep getting up?"

"I wanted," Kakashi growled, trying to shake Iruka's hands from his shoulders. "I wanted a drink. I was thirsty. Why the fuck are you sleeping right by the door?"

Iruka sighed, shifting his body until Kakashi was in his spot on the futon. "Stay here and keep warm. I'll get you some water." He glanced at the clock, trying not the groan. "Or would you prefer tea? I have to get up in less than an hour anyway."

Kakashi growled again, but he was no match for Iruka, and found himself lying on the futon, the blanket up to his chin. "Just water."

"Fine, fine. Just water. Please don't move, Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi watched the chuunin leave the room, gracefully, and he ground his teeth in frustration. The futon was hard, but he could feel the heat from the recent occupant rising up, warming his body and easing his sore muscles. It was comfortable there, even if he could smell Iruka on the blanket and the pillow. Even that was comfortable. Kakashi didn't want to think about that as he groaned, trying to push up, but it was too much. The warmth lulled him back to sleep, his drink forgotten.

"Stupid genius," Iruka muttered, placing the glass on the table. Kakashi couldn't stay there. It would be too cold for him, and the futon was old and hard. Iruka sighed, there wasn't any way around it. He would have to wake him up. And yet... Kakashi looked so peaceful there, Iruka was tempted to simply sleep next to him. He reached over, brushing a bit of hair back from Kakashi's face. "Kakashi-sensei," he whispered. "You need to get back in bed." He leaned closer when the man didn't respond, reaching out to touch a cloth-covered cheek.

A pale hand closed on his wrist, squeezing tightly. "What?"

"You need to get back in bed. It isn't healthy for you to sleep on the floor." Iruka hoped his voice didn't sound as breathless as he felt. The speed of Kakashi's hand had startled him.

"Water?"

"It's right here. Let me help you sit up."

"NO! I can do it," Kakashi snarled, struggling to sit up. He stiffened when he felt arms around his shoulders.

"I'm tired of fighting with you. Just let me do this one thing and get you back to bed."

"Fine. One thing."

Iruka maneuvered him up, and Kakashi was tired enough he could almost admit it really was easier if he just let Iruka do it. He felt the glass pushed into his hands and moved them to take a drink. Except the hands covering his didn't let go. "Let go," he commanded.

"You'll spill it. Just drink and get back in bed."

"I won't spill it!" Kakashi pushed Iruka's hand, sloshing the water over his shirt. "That wasn't my fault! You made me do it! You wouldn't let go."

"Fine, fine. I'm sorry. Just finish the water."

Kakashi drank the water and handed the glass back. "I'm all wet now. Is this how you take care of a sick person?" He froze when he felt hands on the buttons of his pajamas, panicking. "What are you doing?"

"Taking your top off. It's wet, Kakashi-sensei. You can't sleep with that. You'll get a fever."

Kakashi tried to bat the hands away, twisting until he gasped in pain. "But I don't have any others." He shivered when his wet shirt was pulled away. The day hadn't even started yet and it was already worse than yesterday.

"Here," Iruka said calmly, and Kakashi felt something warm cover his shoulders and back. Iruka was leaning down, doing up a new set of buttons. Except...

"Iruka-sensei, this is your shirt." The man leaning in front of him was now bare-chested, and Kakashi shut his eyes. It was obscene, he decided, to have that much skin showing. On a mission, when there wasn't any other option, okay. Or swimming, that was okay. But now... no, it was definitely obscene. But the top was warm, and Kakashi's muscles remembered how that particular warmth felt and decided they were going to relax. Right now.

"Let's get you into bed now," Iruka said, gently hoisting Kakashi up, and Kakashi tried to protest but his own body was rebelling against him. Iruka's arms were strong, Kakashi could see the muscles of one arm flexing as he was guided to the bed. He could see scars, more than he would have expected, littering that brown arm. And then he was in his bed, and Iruka turned to pull the blankets back up.

Iruka jumped when he felt a hand on his back, probing the vicious scar in the center.

"This is where...?"

"Yeah." Iruka pulled the blanket up, pushing Kakashi down until he was flat against the mattress. "You need to sleep now. Promise me you'll call me if you need anything?"

"Are there any more?"

Iruka tucked the blanket closer to Kakashi's shoulders, cocking his head. "Scars? Oh sure."

"I mean, is that the worst?"

"Uh, on my torso, yes. There's a few more on my legs that are worse. I'm sorry if it bothers you." He scratched at the scar on his face. How strange that Kakashi would be bothered by a scar. Maybe that's why Kakashi never got along with him. "Is there anything you need?"

Kakashi turned his head away. For you to leave me alone, he thought to himself, but he knew that wasn't going to happen. "I want to go to the Memorial."

"I'll see what I can do," Iruka replied softly. He could tell Kakashi was falling asleep, and he couldn't help stroking the man's arm as it rested under the blanket. "Anything else?"

"That's all," Kakashi mumbled.

Iruka sat next to Kakashi for a few more minutes before he got up. He placed the alarm clock on the table, and carefully folded the futon and put it away. Might as well get started, he decided. With a wood-burning stove, breakfast was going to take a while.

--

Kakashi slept well into the day and then some, not waking until he heard footsteps in the main room. He groaned softly, frustrated that he wouldn't get any time alone.

The door to his bedroom opened and a tray full of various foods floated inside to land on the bedside table. The floating tray was followed by a huge, muscular man with long, flowing black hair and a mask of porcelain sitting halfway on top of his head. He watched Kakashi with an amused glint in his grey eyes.

"Tsk tsk tsk, Kakashi," he shook his head, as if exasperated, "you keep hurting yourself. I'm almost too worried to let you go out on missions now."

Kakashi was decidedly not in the mood for jokes. "It's not as if you're my commander, Ryu. And besides, you're in the wrong squad."

The tall man shook his head. "No, not the wrong squad. I'm still in the assassination squad. You just quit, that's what is different." He sat down next to his old friend, taking hold of his hand, eyebrows furrowed.

"Are you alright, Kakashi?"

"Do I _look_ peachy to you?"

"No, but I didn't mean physically. How _are_ you?" Ryu looked concerned, and reached out to stroke Kakashi's cloth-covered cheek gently.

Kakshi sighed softly and turned to look away. "I'm alright, really."

It didn't convince. "No, really, I _am_! Just a little tired, is all." He smiled that big, fake smile of his, though only one crinkling eye could be seen.

Ryu sighed, stroking his hair. "Whatever you say. I'm going to leave now, as your caretaker will arrive soon. Eat. And behave. I'll be watching you."

Kakashi sighed as the large man vanished, and listened sourly to Iruka's footsteps walking up the gravel pathway. He was going to be as troublesome as possible today, in a desperate attempt at pushing the chuunin away.

--

"What's all this?" Iruka, asked, surprised at the food on the table next to the bed. Surprised that there _was_ a table there, because he had looked this morning, thinking to leave a glass of 

water for Kakashi, but hadn't found one anywhere in the house.

"Dunno," Kakashi answered from his bed, sullen as always. "I think a lunatic brought it. Better not eat it, it's probably poisoned."

Iruka smiled, shaking his head. "I guess even lunatics have friends." He left the room, chuckling.

Kakashi spent the next ten minutes wondering just who Iruka meant by that. He was no closer to a definitive answer when the man reappeared, holding his teacher's satchel.

"I brought you something to keep you company."

"I really hate people who wear masks."

"Kakashi-sensei, I'm pretty sure you're the only one in this room wearing a mask," Iruka answered, fishing around in the bag for something.

Rolling over onto his side, Kakashi mustered his most fierce look. It helped that his ribs were screaming at him for rolling over. "Your smile, Iruka-sensei. Your entire cheery facade. It's a mask. I don't like it." He nearly smiled himself when he saw the man's expression falter, the light in his eyes dimming just a bit.

Iruka's voice was lower, and the smile there was a scant approximation of the one he wore earlier. "I'm sorry my face bothers you so much, Kakashi-sensei. Let me get started on lunch. I need to get back to the Academy soon."

He placed three items on the bedside table and left.

Kakashi did a little dance inside. That was easier than he had hoped. He would be left in peace now. A glint of glass from the table caught his eye - on it stood two photographs and one sad, little houseplant. His sensei's eyes stared back at him, and below them, Obito's as well. He thought for a moment he couldn't see, couldn't breathe, but the voice at the door brought him back.

"When I get back this evening, if you're up to it, I thought we could make a trip to the Memorial." Iruka turned to leave again.

"Mr. Ukki," Kakashi said, his voice rougher than he realized. "He needs sunlight. It's too dark in here."

Iruka nodded, picking up the plant, then walked over to the far wall and slid aside another panel opening onto the porch in the back. "How about I put Mr. Ukki here for now? I'll leave the door open. It's a nice enough day."

Kakashi nodded, stunned. How did he not realize the door was there? He hadn't needed to step over Iruka last night at all! He stared out the door, noticing the red hues of one ornamental tree by the small pond. Most of the others were bare, or as bare as they got in Konoha. Raw sunlight poured into his room now, and Mr. Ukki seemed to perk up before his eyes. It wasn't quite home, but it was getting closer.

--

When Iruka left, Ryu reappeared in the doorway, glancing down at Mr. Ukki as he entered. "I didn't notice this door."

"That's just something you want me to believe because you're really a genius and a wolf in sheep's clothing." Kakashi's expression didn't change at all as he said those words to his old classmate and former best friend. "How're the kids and the wife?"

This brought a pained expression to the tall man's face. "Well... Sadako and Harumi are both in the Academy now. Iruka-sensei is a very patient teacher. Midori is growing older, too. She'll be entering the Academy next year. And the wife is fine. Hanako is a very kind and loving woman." He smiled fondly.

Kakashi tilted his head. "You always fail to mention Mitsu-"

"Don't say her name!" Ryu hissed, cutting him off. He looked around with a fearful expression, not matching his mask and gear at all. The large wolf of Konoha was terrified of his own, young daughter.

"She's ten years old. What harm could she possibly do?" Kakashi shifted a little, wincing as pain lanced through his body.

Ryu shut his eyes tightly, drawing a deep breath. "She never sleeps. She never really speaks, she just keeps on using her telepathy. Her eyes never revert back from milky white, as if her kekkei genkai is always activated, and she flat out scares the shit out of us all."

Kakashi frowned. Technically, if you kept your kekkei genkai activated all the time, you'd burn up all your chakra and die. The fact that the child had not died yet and always had her kekkei genkai activated might seem frightening. He just didn't understand why Ryu would bear such hate for his own child.

When he explained this to the tall ANBU, Ryu stepped back as if slapped. "I don't hate her. I love her, she's my daughter... She's... She's just dangerous and unstable, and I do not wish for her to harm other children. Or adults. And at times, she stares at me with such malice, such evil in her eyes... Like..." He clenched his eyes shut, and murmured, subdued, "like Orochimaru."

It wasn't a well known fact that Orochimaru had a family. In fact, no one really knew much about Orochimaru at all. Ryu, however, was Orochimaru's nephew, and knew a lot more about the dangerous criminal than most.

"But Orochimaru didn't have the kekkei genkai as strongly." Kakashi stated.

Ryu snorted, cocking an eyebrow. "Orochimaru could barely lift a spoon with his mind, let alone keep it floating. Besides, what would he need it for? He's dangerous enough as it is."

Kakashi felt chills run down his spine at the thought of Orochimaru with the ability to kill with one thought. Like Ryu's younger brother Riku and Ryu's daughters. "How is Riku?"

Ryu walked over to flop down on the floor beside the bed. "He's coping. Still very unstable. The doctors say that he'll have to stay in the ward for at least a year more. Maybe even longer."

Kakashi nodded, silent.

They sat in silence for a long time, listening to the birds chirp, until finally, the tall ANBU stood and made his way outside, drawing the wolf mask of porcelain over his face. A minute later, Iruka entered the bedroom and Kakashi cursed the other jonin's psychic abilities.

--

The two men were silent as they ate. Iruka sat with his back to Kakashi, leaning against the bed frame - close enough to help, but carefully keeping his face averted. The gift of food still sat, untouched, on the side table. Iruka hoped it would tempt Kakashi later. He had been shocked to find Kakashi so thin. Not that he had any idea what was _normal_, but he could easily count Kakashi's ribs. He would have to ask Tsunade when they saw her on Wednesday. "Is there anything you prefer to eat, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi was sitting up, propped with pillows, but he really wanted to lie back down. "No. Don't you have to get back?"

Iruka sighed, softly, because that was an obvious dismissal. "Fine. Do you want to lie down?" He stood and leaned over the bed, intending to help.

"I can do it," Kakashi hissed, holding up a hand. It shook slightly, but he ignored it.

Iruka nodded, picking up the plates and bowls and leaving wordlessly. He didn't want to be there, either, but he was doing his best. Why couldn't Kakashi just put up with him? It would be easier for both of them. Iruka leaned against the doorway to the kitchen, going over everything he needed to do. He had food for dinner, but he would need to do the dishes. He needed to stop by his flat to get clothes and another blanket. He supposed he could stop by Kakashi's as well - surely the man had more pajamas somewhere? And maybe Kakashi's blanket? Iruka grinned, remembering how surprised he'd been, seeing that shuriken print. Like something a child would have.

"Do you need anything else before I leave?" He waited just outside the bedroom's door, on the porch. He hated to ask the question, because it was something one asked a small child, not a grown man. And he couldn't ask Kakashi if he needed to 'go potty' - Kakashi would slit his throat in anger, and Iruka thought he might welcome it from sheer embarrassment. "Um... Kakashi-sensei, do you need to visit the toilet before I go? I would hate for you to fall. It might be hours before I get back."

Kakashi's eyes widened marginally and he blustered a little at the impudent question. "Are you asking me if I need to go potty, Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka couldn't help the blush that rose on his cheeks. "I guess, yes."

"Right. If I need to use the loo, I'll manage myself, thank you. Having you look after me like some other nanny is enough humiliation in and of itself."

"Um, okay." Iruka wouldn't push it - at least Kakashi hadn't exactly snarled at him. That was progress. "Just, please... be careful. The porch is kinda high up, and I don't want you to fall."

Kakashi frowned. He'd pester Ryu into helping him, if he needed to. At least _Ryu_ could do it without physically supporting him.

"I'm not _going_ to fall, Iruka-_sensei._" Kakashi's voice had taken on the tone of mockery and slight annoyance. If the impudent chuunin spoke _one _more word, he'd skewer him... At least, he'd skewer him when he was well enough to do so. "Just go, Iruka-sensei. I'll manage on my own. And I want to be alone, either way." His voice was quiet with the sulky undertone of a spoiled brat.

Iruka bit down the smile and the giggle. Kakashi reminded him of the younger students, or even worse, the smaller siblings of the younger students, crying because they couldn't go to the Academy yet. It was habit, he decided later, habit and perhaps a death wish Iruka would need to examine later. He crossed the room, on autopilot, and patted the top of Kakashi's head as he twitched the covers in place. "Fine, Kakashi-kun. Take care of yourself. I'll be back later tonight."

Kakashi stared at him in outrage, then suddenly he growled and pounced, kunai at the ready, before his body protested and he fell to the floor, curled into a ball of agony. He couldn't see straight, he couldn't think straight, and now, he bloody well couldn't move, either.

Fuck it all, there he was, the mighty Hatake Kakashi, wriggling on the floor in such agony he thought he was going to die from the sheer intensity of it. Obito's eye was already weeping fat tears, and he thought that if this continued, his own eye would start crying real soon. When Iruka tried to step closer, he snarled and gave him a look so filled with loathing and agony, it would have made a brick wall think twice.

"Gods... Kakashi-sensei... I didn't mean..." Iruka stood, frozen in place. If he bent forward to help Kakashi up, he would be leaving with his fingers in a handkerchief. But he couldn't leave the man there. And he hadn't meant to do it, not really, but he couldn't help it. Kakashi had looked, so... annoyed, sitting there sulking. And cute, if a killer jounin with a bad disposition could ever be called cute. Iruka blushed again, because, he could _not_ be thinking something like this, not now.

Well, he was a shinobi, and spitting mad or not, Kakashi was weak and in pain. Iruka stepped back, as if to pull away, watching Kakashi relax slightly. Then he was there, crouched over Kakashi's body, gripping Kakashi's wrist until the kunai fell to the floor with a dull thunk. "I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei. But lying here on the floor, in pain, isn't helping either of us."

Kakashi moaned in agony, but was in too much pain to protest much. He just sort of flopped to the floor like a wet wash cloth and stayed there, his one, visible eye half lidded as his body started to relax and he slipped into unconciousness once more.

"Fuck," Iruka groaned softly. He hadn't meant to make things worse. But a Kakashi unconscious was a Kakashi unable to fight, and that would make getting him to the bed easier. He slipped his hands under Kakashi's body, startled again at how light the older man was when he wasn't squirming around. Iruka held Kakashi close, gently placing the man in the center of the bed. He took the chance and checked over Kakashi's wounds, making sure the 

man hadn't ripped open something in the fall. Most of the cuts had healed to near-scars by now, and Iruka couldn't feel any new damage other than a bruise or two on the man's legs. Kakashi would feel terrible when he woke up. Unless...

He knew Kakashi would never allow this, what he was about to do, but it made the most sense. Tsunade hadn't mentioned this, specifically, but she had made sure he'd taken advanced first aid, and this was part of it. Kakashi wasn't supposed to stress his body or his chakra system. But bolstering that supply would allow Kakashi's body to use his own chakra to heal faster. Iruka took a few cleansing breaths, hoping the man would stay asleep. It helped if he believed Kakashi was asleep and not unconscious. He closed his eyes and concentrated, bringing his own chakra up to his fingertips. Then, starting at the top of Kakashi's head, he pushed a small amount into each of the main chakra points, just as he'd been taught during the new teacher training sessions. Slowly, Iruka moved his hands over the jounin's skin, reaching under Kakashi's mask and shirt when necessary, his eyes tightly closed.

Iruka paused briefly when he got to the lower chakra centers, but those were important too. He undid Kakashi's pajama pants, knowing if the man woke up, Iruka would be dead, and rightly so. He felt his own system begin to strain and pushed a last bit of chakra into Kakashi's feet. He redressed the man quickly, hoping Kakashi would wake up feeling a little better. And hoping Kakashi would never, ever know why. "I know this is hard on you, Kakashi," he murmured, dragging the blanket up to cover thin shoulders. "I know it is. I just wish you wouldn't make it harder than it has to be. I promise, I'll try harder, too."

Checking the room again, Iruka stood up. It wouldn't get cold until the sun went down, so he could leave the door open and the porch unshuttered. He surely couldn't leave the heater running if he wasn't there, the risk of fire was too high. "Sleep well, Kakashi-sensei."

He left the house at a dead run - he was later than late, and he wouldn't be surprised if Konohamaru was leading a revolt by now. There was an assistant teacher, but the man was easily distracted. He grinned when he remembered his test questions. That would be sufficient punishment if his class was misbehaving. On the other hand, if by some miracle they _were_ behaving, well, he could always be persuaded to postpone the test. Maybe even let them out early. That would fit in with his plans as well. And if Iruka arrived at the school flushed and sweaty, nobody would think anything of it after his long run. As long as he didn't think about what he'd done earlier, he would be fine.

--

That's it for now. I'll post more when I'm not sick and have the energy to edit more. Please, feel free to let me know if there are any mistakes. And: REVIEW!


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Masashi Kishimoto. Ryu and other original characters are belong to us. Which is to say, Nobiki and me. Ask for permission before you borrow. Same with the plot, belongs to us.

**Warnings: **Kakashi's potty mouth again.

--

**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 3**

--

Kakashi awoke to the feeling of... no pain. It was a wonderful feeling, one he hadn't been able to feel in weeks. He squinted his eyes open, and saw that the room was empty. Wonderful. He really needed to take a leak.

By some amazing feat, he managed to get out of bed without toppling, and wobbled his way over to the door. He just needed to get past Mr. Ukki and over to the toilet, and quickly. The walk wasn't as difficult as he'd thought, but he was weary and worn out by the time he reached the toilet, and his feet ached.

When he sat down on the seat, he wasn't certain that he was going to get up again. He did, however, and made his way back to Mr. Ukki - and was stopped by a strict voice clearing its throat. "Where do you think you're going without support, cripple?"

Kakashi turned his head. The voice belonged to Ryu, and he let out a relieved breath. The huge ANBU didn't mean his taunts personally, he was only teasing. "I thought I was going to the bathroom, I went to the bathroom, did what I came to do, and now I just really want to get back to my bed." Before he knew it, he was floating towards the bed, seemingly supported by nothing. He blinked. "This is always creepy."

"It's also not a strain on your body. Be grateful, go to bed, shut up and sleep." Ryu's voice was weary, and Kakashi idly wondered how long he'd been there, holding silent vigil over Iruka and himself. Iruka obviously didn't know that he was there, or he would have mentioned it.

"So..." Ryu tucked Kakashi back in and stroked his hair gently. "You should sleep, now. Your body needs to heal, and the way you are behaving, that will not happen fast. Just rest, and let your body heal. And let that pretty, little chuunin take care of you. Hm?"

Kakashi narrowed his eyes and growled. Ryu laughed and vanished from the room.

--

Iruka didn't deserve whatever good things happened to him today, but he was only partially sure he deserved what was happening now. A revolt implied some sort of organization, and the mass chaos of his classroom was anything but. So this is anarchy, he thought idly, catching another escaping student by the collar and tossing her back into the room. Koji-sensei, barely more than a genin himself, had given up a half-hour ago. It took fifteen minutes to peel students off of the ceiling, disable all the traps they had set up, and un-henge those pretending to be chairs or whatnot, and just why Kayami-chan thought a velvet-covered sofa wouldn't be noticeable in a classroom full of wooden desks, Iruka wasn't quite sure, but he had to give her 

points for detail. He would be recommending art classes to her parents - that kind of talent shouldn't be wasted.

Now it was time to track down Konohamaru and his gang of two. Iruka unveiled his test questions, noting only three attempts had been made to read them, and all three perpetrators were still missing. "When you have finished these, you can leave early. Don't bother sharing answers, though. Anyone not currently in the room will receive a brand new test." Iruka grit his teeth, thinking he would have to come up with new questions now. The last batch had been hard - not too difficult, not too easy, and with enough overlap so that those who had bothered to study would be able to reason the answers out. "Koji-sensei, anyone who gives you trouble, they have detention AND they will lose points. I'm off to find THEM." The young man laughed nervously, because there was only one THEM in the village. And if Iruka had said HIM, with Naruto gone, that would mean only one person.

He rolled his neck, preparing for the long, boring process of narrowing down all the places Konohamaru _might_ be to the place he and his gang actually were. A picture flashed into his head, a clearing near the river, where vending machines were set up. He shook his head, wondering where it came from, before a cold finger brushed against his mind. He looked down the hallway and saw her, standing there, with that little half-smile that seemed to be a permanent fixture on her face. She made his skin crawl in a way Iruka never understood, but she was strangely useful in her own way as well.

Iruka approached the girl carefully, hoping his unease wouldn't transmit too strongly. How hard it must be for her, he thought again. Naruto merely felt the villagers' hatred and suspicions, or experienced the direct effects of that hatred through a thousand pinpoints of cruelty. Mitsuko _knew_. He wondered if she was ever able to pretend she didn't know, if she even wanted to. He stopped next to her, his hand hesitating the same way he'd done with Kakashi earlier. Well, I haven't actually died from this yet, he grinned to himself. His hand touched her hair, brushing it back. "Thank you, Mitsuko-chan. Can you let Goko-sensei know I'll be a little late taking over for him this afternoon? But not too late, now that I know where to go first."

She nodded, and turned to go back to her classroom.

"Mitsuko-chan, what color eyes were you born with? I've forgotten." It was the truth. Iruka was careful to speak only the truth around her.

An image of her twin sister, Sadako, flashed into his mind, then a picture of a man, her father most likely. They both had grey eyes.

Iruka chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ah, yes. Sadako-chan. I had forgotten you were twins. How stupid of me." He laughed again, shaking his head. "You see, your teachers are human, too. We make mistakes. We forget things. That man, he is your father, I guess. I've never seen him before." The man looked familiar, but Iruka was sure he'd never met him. "White or grey, your eyes are beautiful, Mitsuko-chan. Much nicer than my boring brown ones, anyway. Go on, I'll be back to teach your class later."

Mitsuko continued to smile, but the gesture had more feeling, now. She cocked her head to the side and sent a caress to his mind before turning and walking down the hall, her white, ankle-length skirt swishing lightly with her movements.

--

It only took twenty minutes to round up Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon. Another ten to set up their punishments, and Iruka thought he'd been rather inspired by forcing them to write sentences during the test. They thought they were getting away with it. How surprised they were going to be when they spent the afternoon in detention, taking the test. Then when they arrived tomorrow, a whole new test would be waiting. And the day after that. And the day after that. And so on until Saturday, when they would be cleaning the entire Academy... alone. After another test.

The rest of the day passed as he'd planned, but he was still running late when he pushed his bundle of stuff up the path to the little house. This was either going to go very well, or it was going to go very badly. Iruka stared at the wheelchair a moment, wishing Mitsuko could tell him if he should even bother.

--

Kakashi had lain about in bed for three hours, staring at the ceiling. Then he'd turned over to stare at the wall. He'd kept that up for one hour. He was bored and a little lonely, but he didn't mind. Being alone was something he had gotten used to, after his sensei and Obito died. Not that he didn't miss Rin, he just hadn't been that close to her.

He rolled over onto his back again and fell asleep, for how long, he didn't know. All he knew was that he woke up to something thoroughly unpleasant.

The space around him became too dark, and he could smell a faint trace of lavender and cigarette-smoke on the air, just above his head. Something brushed along his cheek and he raised a hand to move it away. Silky hair flowed over his hand. He frowned and blinked his eyes open, and noticed that his face was curtained by long, black hair, and right above him was Ryu's face, wearing a sinister grin.

He shrieked like a little girl and bolted up to crawl over to the headboard.

Ryu cracked up immediately, nearly clutching his stomach with the pains his laughter brought on.

"That was EVIL, Ryu!" Kakashi was angry, and felt a little stupid about the whole ordeal.

Ryu grinned back at him, his grey eyes glinting happily. "Oh, I'm certain. I have bad blood, you know."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes and let out a sniff, sliding back down into the bed. "Fuck, you scared me."

Ryu's grin widened. "I noticed."

Rolling over to face his strange friend, Kakashi gave him a once over. He was wearing standard Jonin gear, his black hair hanging loose down to his ass, with a hitai-ate tied about his forehead. "You aren't wearing your ANBU uniform."

"I'm off duty." Ryu sighed softly and sat down next to the bed. "I'm back _on_ duty again 

tonight. But I got half the day off, that's what matters. So I'm checking up on you before I go to visit Riku at the ward. Then I'll spend some time with my family."

Kakashi nodded. He knew that Ryu cared for him, and it touched him. Ryu was one of those that hadn't gone away when his father committed seppuku. He'd been there all along, until he'd gotten married and they slipped away from each other. They had taken up contact again at times, but not often and not for long intervals of time. ANBU had a tendency to do such things to friendships.

They sat in silence for another half hour, simply enjoying each other's company, before Ryu stood and said goodbye, vanishing in a puff of smoke.

--

"Is something burning?" Iruka sniffed the air from doorway, his eyes crinkled. "It smells like, some kind of flower or something. It's not your houseplant is it?" He picked up the plant and sniffed it, shrugging. It just smelt green.

Kakashi's eyebrows raised slightly. "No, Mr Ukki isn't burning. What exactly does it smell like?" He tilted his head and smiled slightly.

Iruka shrugged again. "I don't know, exactly. Some kind of plant. Maybe an herb?" He shook his head, smiling to himself. "Huh. It's familiar. Two of my students smell like this. Maybe a cleaning solution that I'm just now noticing."

"Lavender, right?" Kakashi's smile widened.

"Yeah! That's it! Strange, I don't see any lavender plants out in the garden."

"That's because there aren't. Those two students. Their surname is Uzuki, right? Are they twins?" Kakashi tilted his head and stared serenely at Iruka.

"Ye-es, they are. Do you know them?"

"No... But I know their father." He smiled again. "The scent is something they generate naturally. Comes with their limit."

Iruka stared back, shaking his head. "I should have guessed that. But then, I should have remembered Mitsuko-chan had grey eyes, too." He cocked his head again, remembering his conversation with Mitsuko earlier. "Their father is very handsome. I was surprised." His eyes widened when he realized what he'd said out loud. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me," he stuttered with a slight blush. Just what he needed, for Kakashi to repeat _that_ little tidbit to a parent.

Kakashi's eyes had, unnoticed by Iruka, widened at the mention of _her_ name. "You shouldn't say her name when she isn't around, Iruka. Bad things happen."

"Don't be silly, Kakashi-sensei. She's just a little girl. Yes, she's a bit strange, and I don't pretend she doesn't, well, creep me out a little." Iruka rubbed his arms, suddenly chilled. "Okay, sometimes a lot. But she is quiet, and helpful. Very pretty and very intelligent. I might prefer that she used her hands a little more... and I don't think I've ever heard her voice." He 

looked up and smiled again. "Besides, she'll know if I'm talking about her, even if I don't say her name. So why not say it?"

Kakashi's face paled. "Did you know that she never sleeps? That when she was a little child, she sent her whole room crashing instead of crying? Did you know that she always has her limit activated, even though it's supposed to be fatal?"

"No, I didn't." Iruka sighed, scratching the scar on his face idly. "I suppose it must be difficult to raise a child like that. The amount of chakra in her body must be amazing." He leaned against the doorway, again, arms crossed. "Now I'm even more worried about her. But why would saying her name make any difference?"

Kakashi sighed softly. "I heard this story from her father, so I suppose it's true..."

--

When Ryu came to see him, Kakashi hadn't been surprised. Things had been going on at the tall jounin's home for a while, and things were chaotic. If Ryu wanted something steady and solid, he'd come to Kakashi.

Ryu had taken him out to a lake they used to bathe in as children, before they both graduated from the Academy. Before Kakashi had changed. Before Ryu's father had gone insane with jealousy over something trivial and killed his wife, then himself.

They sat in silence for a long time, both waiting for the other to speak, before Ryu turned to look at Kakashi, and then turned back to watch the sun set. His shoulders and arms were trembling, and his voice was raw and hoarse, as if he'd been shouting or screaming.

"The kid... She killed someone." His voice sounded older than his actual age, and he looked troubled, weary and frightened when Kakashi looked at him.

"What?" He tilted his head and looked up at the taller Jonin, confusion evident in his eyes. "She's just a kid."

"A kid with far too much intelligence for someone her age, and a gift so strong it is only surpassed by my brother, who incidentially just killed all of his team on a mission." Ryu ran a hand through his long hair, before leaning forward to wrap his arms around his knees.

Kakashi frowned, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Ryu... Riku didn't mean to kill them. It was either that or have them die from torture, was it not?"

"Yeah, but... It tore apart his mind." He turned to look at his friend. "I'm not sure my daughter actually killed the guy or if she just sent him images horrifying enough to kill him. Either way, a man is dead because of my six year-old child."

Kakashi didn't say a word, he only put a hand on his friend's shoulder and squeezed, letting him know that he was there for him.

--

"And that's the reason why she frightens me." Kakashi picked at imaginary lint on his bedspread, not certain what Iruka would say.

"Do they know why she did it?"

Kakashi shook his head. "No... But Ryu told me that... When that guy died, she giggled... And it was the creepiest thing he'd ever heard in his entire life."

Iruka was silent, thinking. He'd never thought to be afraid of Mitsuko before. "I see." He chewed his lip, still thinking. "Thank you for telling me. I'll be more careful." He probably wouldn't, he decided, but he wouldn't forget this. And Mitsuko would know he knew about it. "I'm going to go start dinner. Would you like to have your bath before or after our trip to the Memorial? If you're up to it."

Kakashi frowned. "Do you think I'm smelly? Is that it?" He grumbled and folded his arms over his chest. "After. And I'm taking it alone. And why haven't you left yet, Umino-san?"

"Careful, Kakashi-sensei, or I'll make you leave the house in your pajamas." Iruka shook his head, slightly irritated. It looked like Kakashi was back to himself.

--

"I am NOT sitting down in that thing, Iruka-sensei. Forget it. I will not be rolled around in a wheelchair like some other cripple!" Kakashi's was glaring at Iruka, and any child or lesser man would have fled... But Iruka didn't.

Instead, he smiled. A real smile, and only slightly menacing. His students knew that smile, and they feared it. "Well. I suppose we could borrow a donkey cart. Would you prefer that, Kakashi-sensei?"

The bratty Jonin gaped in outrage. Then his eyes narrowed. "I'm walking."

"Sorry, no. That's exactly what you're _not_ doing." Iruka tapped his fingers on the wheelchair. "Neither are you skipping, running, jumping, or teleporting. Or any other ambulatory combination I haven't thought to mention. It's this, or the cart, or you stay home."

Frowning, Kakashi sulkily agreed to be wheeled around. Oh, how he hated this. And he was sure as hell going to let Iruka know just how much he did - when they got back.

It took a while to get to the Memorial. Iruka took a less traveled path, conscious that Kakashi wouldn't want to be seen in the wheelchair, and the man had spent quite a long time stuck indoors. He pushed the chair up to the stone monument and locked the wheels in place. "How long did you want to stay?"

Kakashi stared at the Memorial Stone for a long time without answering. He then tilted his head to the side. "About a quarter of an hour should be enough, I think... I just... want to sit alone, in silence for a minute, if you wouldn't mind." His voice wasn't angry or sharp anymore. It just sounded incredibly sad, as if he was all alone in the world.

"I've locked the wheels. If you would prefer to stand up, I wouldn't object. Just... don't wander off, okay?" Iruka backed away, jumping up to a tree limb, and then another. Kakashi was in sight, but Iruka wouldn't be able to hear him if he spoke. He settled down on a branch, watching the sky with one eye, and Kakashi with the other.

Settling for staying in his chair, Kakashi simply watched the stone for a long time, not saying a word. He just watched the familiar names, memorised them and replaced them in his heart, feeling the soft pain of loss. When he could feel Iruka return, he made it look as if he was just sitting down again, and continued looking at the stone.

--

Well, you know what to do after reading XD We appreciate feedback.


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **Only borrowing Masashi Kishimoto's characters to have some fun with them. Sadly, neither Nobiki nor I own them. Makes me kinda depressed, ne? (All Original Characters Are Belong To Us)

**Warning:** Wheelchairs and pissy shinobi, with a side of angry Tsunade.

So I wasn't originally planning on posting anything today, buuuut... I'm having such a blast editing these chapters, so I thought that I might as well do it XD Hope you all enjoy!

--

**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 4**

--

"You've been getting out of bed," Tsunade snapped, nearly breaking the clipboard in her hand. "Idiot! Do you want to go back to the hospital? What part of 'stay in bed and don't move' was unclear?"

Kakashi furrowed his brow and looked down at his folded hands. "I can move just fine, and I feel just fine." It was a blatant lie, and you didn't have to be a telepath to figure it out.

"Kakashi, I am at my wits end with you. Are you deliberately pissing me off?" Tsunade walked over to the man who was sitting up in an examination bed, staring him down with all the fury she could muster.

"I am not trying to piss you off, Tsunade-sama. I'm just not used to laying around all day and not doing anything. It's driving me insane." He tried not to look up at the scary female, knowing he would quaver and break if he did.

"Well, you can use the energy you save up when you're well again. I don't want to lose my best tool because he walks around when he shouldn't." She had this haughty air about her as she walked around, poking and prodding at particularily tender areas, making notes on her clipboard.

"Your ribs have been rebroken." It was a statement, not a question, but it still demanded an answer.

"I fell out of bed." This time, Kakashi met her eyes, defiant and straight forward.

"How did you manage to fall out of bed?" Short, clipped and impatient. Tsunade was nearing rage.

"I attacked Iruka." Kakashi wasn't going to worm around this. Honesty always was the best way around things.

"Any particular reason why you attacked your caretaker?" Her eyebrow had started to twitch, which was never a good sign around Tsunade. If her eyebrow started to twitch, or a vein protuded from her temple, the best option for survival was to dive for cover - preferably behind something which was able to withstand hard, heavy blows.

"I don't like him." Another blatant lie. Kakashi was beginning to fear for his health, wondering if Tsunade would attack him. She probably wouldn't, but he thought it best not to anger her. He'd heard rumours of people who had ended up standing thigh-deep in cow 

manure as a result of angering her. He didn't want to meet the same fate.

"You fell out of bed while attacking Iruka because you don't like him." Tsunade mused, clearly mocking him. Kakashi was beginning to think that she was insane. "And what is not to like with Iruka? He's a perfectly good guy."

"He just gets on my nerves. So I don't like him." Kakashi was growing impatient, now. He didn't like this topic. Whenever Iruka came up, his heart would start beating rapidly, as if trying to jump out of his chest. Definitely didn't like it.

"All right. I'll have a word with Iruka, and see how we can work this out to everyone's benefit, because I'm not removing him from this mission. Are we clear?" Tsunade arched an eyebrow, as if challenging him to decline her kind offer. Kakashi was sorely tempted, but withstood. Angering her further would only cause harm in the long run.

"Perfectly, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade made a slight nod and turned to walk out of the room, leaving Kakashi in the capable hands of the nurses.

--

Iruka stood up when Tsunade entered the waiting room, trying not to shake in his sandals. She'd been in there a long time.

"I need to talk with you." She didn't even look at him, just brushed by and walked into a small office. "Shut the door," she said as Iruka followed her. Then she just stared at him, and Iruka could hear the clock on the wall ticking.

Finally, she shook her head and smiled. "Have I made my point?"

"Oh, yes, Godaime," Iruka said, wanting to fall on his knees with relief. She didn't look angry, at least not with him. "Is he always like that?"

"Well, I don't know if he's always _been_ like that, but, yes, since I've been here, yes. Some of the older staff members say he's been like that as long as they've known him."

"So does that mean I'm done? Now that I've learned my lesson and all."

Tsunade nearly laughed at the hope in Iruka's face. He was so transparent, and it was refreshing. She was beginning to understand why he'd been a favorite of Sandaime. "Of course, not! You're doing very well, actually."

"But, Godaime, he hates me! He attacked me with a kunai! He can't stand my face, even. My scars freak him out. The only thing he hasn't complained about is the food, although he's eaten precious little of it. He's much too thin, and..."

"Has he attempted to leave the house?"

Iruka stared back in horror. Attempted to leave? "No, not as far as I know. He can barely get out of bed without falling."

"Is he eating when he's awake?"

"Yes. It's just, I'm away so often, and when I am there, he's usually asleep."

Tsunade nodded and made a notation on her clipboard. "I'll leave some tea for you at the mission room. Get him to drink as much of it as he can. His body needs sleep more than food right now. As he heals, he'll start eating more." She stared at him, indicating a chair. "Now, suppose you tell me why Kakashi decided he needed to kill you?"

Iruka flushed and nodded, relating the entire incident. Including what he'd done after Kakashi passed out.

Instead of being angry or annoyed, Tsunade threw her head back and laughed. And laughed. And laughed. "I wish," she sputtered, trying to regain control of her voice. "I wish I had been there. Oh, brat, what have you gotten yourself into?" She laughed again at Iruka's look of confusion. "Not you, Iruka. The other brat."

"I didn't find it funny at all, Godaime," Iruka admitted quietly. "I thought I had killed him."

"A few broken ribs, nothing serious." She waved his stutter of surprise and shame aside with one hand. "We expected they wouldn't hold, and the breaks were clean this time, so they'll heal even better. You checked him over later and didn't find them?"

Iruka shook his head, still horrified. How could he have missed broken ribs?

"Most of the medics here would have missed them if I hadn't noted it specifically on his chart. As you said, Iruka, you're not a medical ninja." Tsunade was quiet a moment, and her voice was suddenly serious. "The chakra exchange was a good call. It helped more than you realize, although I wouldn't suggest you do it again without his consent. Generally, patients show improvement almost immediately, even before the exchange is complete. It's one reason we try not to use it - try telling someone like Kakashi he has to stay in bed when he's suddenly feeling better." She shrugged and continued. "AND if he were to wake up suddenly, considering his antipathy towards you, I doubt even ANBU would get there in time to save you."

"Right. No more chakra exchange." Iruka was relieved, in a way. No way would Kakashi ever actually consent to that.

"Probably not. I'm going to do some research into other methods. If I find anything useful I'll let you know. For now, keep doing what you're doing. If he gets really unruly, just stay out of reach. Keep trying to feed him, but mostly just keep him warm and let him sleep."

--

Iruka peeked inside the door, hoping he seemed confident and in control. A nurse pushed past him, her mouth set in a grim line. "Sometimes I hate my life," she muttered, tossing a medkit and several broken syringes onto a tray. "You. Are you his caretaker?"

"Uh, yeah." He grinned and looked away. "I'm sorry if he's giving you trouble."

She smiled back, calmer now, and picked up the tray. "I think I don't hate my life so much anymore. Because I would hate yours even more. He's ready to go. Please, take him."

"I, uh, yeah... Thanks. Sorry again." Iruka took a deep breath and walked into the room.

"Oh, it's Mr Caretaker. How was your chat with Tsunade-sama? Pleasant?" Kakashi's tone of voice was pure poison, and he glared angrily at Iruka. He didn't want to feel anything for the pretty chuunin, especially not when he looked so uncertain and innocent, like he did now. He wanted to tell himself that he didn't give a shit, and pushed those treacherous feelings down to the back of his head, guarding them closely with a wall of ice.

Iruka blinked, both at the coldness of Kakashi's words and the sheer insanity of the words. Tsunade? Pleasant? He'd rather have a kunai in his back. "Yes, very," he answered. "You, however, need to quit getting out of bed. Next time you break something, I'm afraid our Hokage will kill us both." He nodded as the last nurse fled the room and moved the wheelchair over to the bed. "Are you ready to go?"

Arching an eyebrow, Kakashi looked him over, his one, visible eye clearly stating that he thought Iruka was utterly stupid. "I guess. And I promise to be a good boy, Iruka-sensei. Though it depends on the reward."

"I would have thought getting rid of me would be reward enough for you," Iruka muttered.

"Oh, you wound me." Kakashi's voice was practically dripping with sarcasm. "Who would I bitch at, then?"

"Mr. Ukki?" Iruka grinned at the image in his mind of Kakashi growling at the little plant. He stepped closer, bending down to hoist Kakashi into the chair. "Come on. If we hurry we'll have time to stop by the Memorial Stone." He wondered about the wisdom of using such a depressing thing as a carrot, but it worked before.

Kakashi became a little more docile after that statement, but couldn't help but snipe at Iruka, anyway. "You use macabre bribes, Iruka-sensei. And Mr. Ukki can't defend himself, so that would be pointless. I like watching you squirm."

"As long as it's just words, Kakashi-sensei. I duck kunai and shuriken at school - I would prefer not to encounter them at home as well." He gripped Kakashi under the arms and swung him into the chair, lowering him gently onto the seat. Iruka suddenly noticed Kakashi was barefoot. "Where are your shoes?"

"Somewhere," Kakashi stated airily, as if he was a philosopher and not an assassin. "I'm sure you'll find them, if you look underneath the underneath."

Iruka grit his teeth and promised he wouldn't strangle Kakashi. Not tonight. "Care to elaborate? Because they're not under the bed. Or by the door." He shook his head, wondering if he or his teeth would give out first. "You know what? Nevermind. You don't need shoes. Since you're not supposed to get up and all. Shoes would just be a temptation." Iruka grinned and unlocked the wheels. Either they would leave with shoes or without. It wasn't like the damn things were all that warm anyway.

"They _are_ under the bed, idiot. Who taught you how to search, anyway? Obviously, they didn't do a good job." Kakashi replied testily. His feet were cold already.

Kneeling on the floor, Iruka stuck his head under the bed. Nope, no shoes. He scanned the room from his vantage point, finally spying them across the room under a table. Next to the other bed. "Kakashi-sensei," Iruka groaned as he re-emerged from under the bed. "Please tell me you didn't throw your shoes at the nurses." But it was the only explanation that made sense. He stood up and walked across the room, snagging the sandals from their hiding spot.

"At least I didn't throw them at you." There wasn't even the slightest trace of remorse in his voice. "Too bad they took away my kunai," he mused, lips pursing behind his mask.

Iruka didn't bother answering. Someone like Kakashi didn't need a kunai to be dangerous, but he seriously doubted they had succeeded in completely wresting all Kakashi's weapons from him. "Fine, let's go. Unless you've changed your mind about staying in the hospital. I'm sure Godaime could find a room for you." No chance of that, but it didn't hurt to ask. Or threaten. It was just a matter of perspective.

"Are you trying to threaten me, Iruka? Because I am _not_ impressed." Kakashi's tone had taken the regal, holier-than-thou tone, making him sound positively bratty and snotty. He didn't notice this himself, of course, but it was quite obvious to Iruka.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Iruka said lightly as he pushed the man out the room.

--

The trip over was more of the same - Kakashi griped, Iruka mumbled. Kakashi snarled, Iruka smiled. Kakashi taunted, and Iruka switched between taunting back and ignoring Kakashi entirely.

By the time they were in front of the Memorial Stone, Kakashi was fuming. He'd tried to discourage the pretty chuunin several times, and every time his attempts were thwarted. "If I were stronger, I'd strangle you."

"Really." Iruka locked the chair in place as they drew up next to the cold monument, his attention already diverted. "Perhaps I might let you one day."

Taken aback, Kakashi didn't answer. He just stared at the stone as if it held the answers to all of his questions.

Iruka knelt down by the stone, his hand tracing the lines of his parents' names. He tried never to wonder what his life would have been like if they'd survived, but sometimes, like now, he felt truly alone. Anko was a good friend, but he knew he kept his distance, even with her. Ever since Mizuki... His hand drifted lower, and he frowned, trying not to see that name he'd accidentally brushed. Imamura Norio. He stood up and turned away, hoping Kakashi was too lost in his own memories to notice. "Just let me know when you're ready to leave," Iruka said softly, turning around and stalking away.

"Yeah, I'll let you know..." Kakashi was oddly subdued. He didn't bother to fight Iruka, and he didn't question why he suddenly was in such a rush to leave. He would, however, note it down and use it for ammunition on a later time, if need be.

He sat silently for a long time, just looking at the names. His eyes unconciously searched for the name Iruka's fingertips had brushed before he left, and blinked in shock. Imamura Norio... How did Iruka know that man? "Iruka-sensei?" He called, turning slightly in his wheelchair to look for the chuunin.

"I'm here. Are you ready to leave?" Iruka jumped down from a nearby tree, carefully keeping his eye on Kakashi and not the stone.

Scrutinizing him with his head tilted to one side, Kakashi didn't speak for a while. "How did you know Norio?"

It was on the tip of Iruka's tongue to deny it, but Iruka knew he wouldn't be able to pull that off, not when he could feel his face flushing. How did he know Norio? What could he say? The truth, but not the whole truth, obviously. "I was there when he was killed." What else? Because he really didn't want Kakashi bringing it up again. "It's not something I can talk about." Again, the truth, but not the whole truth. He could talk about it, but he would have to leave out so much - the mission was still classified, and even if his actions had been commended by the council, he knew the truth and it still made him sick. He hoped Kakashi would drop it now. "Are you ready to go?"

Kakashi was silent for a long time. "Yeah," he finally said, looking down at his feet. Suddenly, being mean didn't hold the same appeal.

--

The trip back to the house was tense and silent. Even the wind had died down, leaving only the faint creak of the wheelchair as Iruka maneuvered them over the sandy roads. He hadn't meant to say anything to Kakashi, certainly not about that. Yet now Kakashi wasn't saying anything either. No complaints, no snarls, nothing. Iruka decided to wait a bit before he decided if he missed it or not.

"Would you like to rest before we eat?" Iruka couldn't think of anything else to say, so he fell back on his duties. "I'll be leaving in a few hours for my shift in the Mission Room."

"Not hungry," Kakashi mumbled, oddly subdued. And he wasn't hungry. At all. Food didn't hold any appeal either. The sweet, innocent (in his eyes) chuunin had seen death, and Kakashi wished he held it in his power to make it so he hadn't.

"Kakashi-sensei, Godaime said you need to eat. How will you get better? Are you sure? Not even some soup?" Iruka kept his voice low. Kakashi hadn't made a move out the chair, and Iruka hoped he would be able to help the man indoors without a fuss.

"Fine, I'll eat some soup." Kakashi had too much on his mind to even think about what he was saying. For now, he was meek and subdued. Didn't want to start a fight or cause a fuss. He really just wanted to sleep. "Tired."

Iruka nodded, bending down and drawing a thin arm over his shoulders. "Come on, let me get you into bed. I'll leave some snacks out for when you wake up." The man looked exhausted, even his hair seemed droopier than usual. Iruka doubted Kakashi would stay awake long enough for instant ramen, much less a healthy miso.

"Mmmm..." Kakashi's visible eye drooped, letting Iruka guide him inside. "Wanna brush my teeth... Bad breath."

"Fine, Kakashi-sensei. That's fine."

Iruka waited outside the door while Kakashi brushed his teeth, every sense on alert for any sudden slip. He sighed with relief when the door opened and Kakashi slumped against him. It took only a few more moments to get Kakashi onto his bed. "Uh, did you want to change into pajamas?" Iruka was already sitting on the bed, unwrapping the man's legs. Kakashi had insisted on wearing his full uniform.

"Nnnnhhhh..." Kakashi was only half awake, and didn't really respond. The sound he made seemed to be affirmative, because it only made sense to sleep in his pajamas and not the uniform. He just couldn't form words. His tongue stuck to his palate as if it was glued to it.

Taking the noise for an assent, Iruka found the pajamas and... stopped. He'd never had to undress Kakashi, not like this. The uniform shirt had come off over Kakashi's head, and Iruka doubted he could do it without taking the mask and hitai-ate along with it. "Kakashi-sensei, you need to take your shirt off. I can't do it. Your mask will come off." Realistically, Iruka was more worried about the hitai-ate - Tsunade had explained how the sharingan worked, and how it couldn't be turned off. Iruka had always wondered why Kakashi covered his eye like that.

Kakashi blinked slowly, then untied his hitai-ate. His silver hair flopped into his face and covered his scarred eye slightly. It was closed. He then unfastened his mask from his shirt and tugged the garment over his head before handing it over. "Done."

"How does your mask attach?" Iruka asked as he slipped the cotton shirt over Kakashi's shoulders. "I always assumed it was part of your shirt. At least, it looks that way." He chuckled when he remembered something else. "Isn't it itchy? You've been wearing the same one since you got here. Do you have more somewhere? I mean, I'll need to do the laundry soon, and..." He broke off his rambling questions because it didn't get him any closer to getting the pajama pants on. And Kakashi didn't wear anything underneath them, at least he hadn't before.

Kakashi looked up at him. "Small fastenings." He pointed to a series of tiny clasps running along the entirety of the garment. "And Ryu washes them for me."

Iruka nodded. "Ryu. Oh, Uzuki-san!" He clamped his lips together - he nearly said Mitsuko's name again. "You know, you can leave them out for me. That is what I'm here for."

"I suppose." Kakashi laid down, stretching out on the bed. He was asleep within seconds.

Pulling the blanket over the sleeping man, Iruka left the pajama bottoms at the foot of the bed. If Kakashi wanted them, they were there. He left the room to go make something to eat. There was plenty of time - he could get some grading done, and make a dent on those test questions for Konohamaru and his friends. He smoothed Kakashi's hair down, then set the hitai-ate over Kakashi's eye. It wasn't tied, but it wouldn't hurt. "Sleep well, Kakashi-sensei," he whispered before he left.

--

He was walking through the house. He could hear something, but he couldn't tell what it was. Something big, but not human. He could almost see it out of the corner of his eye, but every time he tried to focus, it disappeared. Iruka rubbed his eyes - he was tired, but he wasn't seeing things. He knew he wasn't. It wasn't a genjutsu either. The doors were open and he could feel a breeze - it was warm and smelled of herbs. Lavender, Iruka remembered. He stepped outside, scanning the garden under the light of the waning moon. Whatever it was, it was just circling the house now. Iruka shut Kakashi's door - it was just paper and wood, but it was a barrier. Now that thing would have to go through him to get to Kakashi.

This is why apartments are better, Iruka thought. Concrete walls could be blasted apart, but trying to defend a place like this, alone, seemed impossible. A howl pierced Iruka's mind, so close he could hear it echo. A wolf? In Konoha? Sure, there were wolves around, but out here? Iruka paced the porch, kunai in hand. He didn't remember picking one up. Then he saw it - huge, black, pacing alongside him on the ground below. He stopped, feeling sweat beading across his bare back. The wolf stopped as well and looked up at him. Misty grey eyes stared at him - not yellow. It had to be a trick of the moon. It howled again and took off, clearing the back wall in one jump.

Iruka woke up with a start, staring wild-eyed up at the ceiling. He had to check, it couldn't have been just a dream. The same crescent moon lit the yard, but Iruka couldn't see any footprints. He was wearing his pajamas, and his weapons were just where he left them. But Kakashi's door - hadn't he left it open? "Dammit." Iruka had to check now, he had to be sure.

Kakashi was asleep on his bed, and everything was calm. There was, however, a soft scent of lavender lingering around the room. As if the herbs had been gathered and hung to dry. It was empty, save for the lone man on the bed, the covers drawn up over his face so only the mop of silver hair showed.

He seemed calm, his body limp and relaxed, sleeping heavily. Iruka sighed softly. Nothing to be afraid of. But still, a wolf? Iruka shut the door again and grabbed his sandals from the entry. He picked up a kunai from the table and left the house. A wolf would leave footprints, right? Especially one that large.

Ten minutes later, Iruka gave up. He'd found all kinds of prints around the house, mice, cats, dogs. He suspected he'd even found a mole's nest, but he wasn't digging it up in the middle of the night. But nothing the size of a wolf, not _that_ wolf at any rate. He went back inside, still shaking his head. It must have been a dream. At least Kakashi hadn't woken up. That would have been hard to explain.

--

You know you want to review ;D Well… You know. At least say SOMETHING. Because feedback motives us (me) to post more. And more. And then some. Because this is one heck of a monster fic.


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaim**-- Well, you get it.

**Warnings:** Mild horror? Errr… Something like that.

--

**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 5**

--

Harumi was crying. She could feel it, hear it, see it. No, she wasn't close to where her sister was, but she could sense her distress, knowing that the loudmouthed girl had gotten herself into trouble.

Silently, and quick as a shadow she moved through the corridors of the school, that eerie smile still on her face. She walked slowly out into the playground and could see the boy in the tree, throwing rocks at her baby sister, calling her names because of her relations, her family, who Harumi's sister was. Her eyes narrowed, still smiling, she focused all of her ill will onto that one boy, and the branch snapped beneath him. He fell to the ground with a thump, screaming in pain.

Mitsuko giggled softly to herself and walked away.

--

"I swear, Iruka-sensei! I didn't _do_ it!" Harumi pouted, her wide, grey eyes brimming with tears. She sniffled miserably and looked down at her shoes, wondering if the kind teacher was going to punish her by calling in her mother or father.

Normally, Iruka wasn't their teacher, but he had stepped in for their usual one. Harumi delighted in the classes she had with the pretty chuunin. He was her very secret crush. Only Mitsuko-nee knew about it, but she wouldn't tell anyone. Besides, if Sadako knew, she wouldn't have an excuse to tease her about Neji-kun.

Looking up again, she gave the teacher her best, watery puppy-dog look.

Iruka sighed, nodding. Harumi wasn't the type to lie about this, and so far every other child except Shiro's friends confirmed Harumi's version of events. Except... Iruka shook his head, that wasn't possible. "Harumi-chan, are you hurt?"

Harumi sulkily shook her head, pouting slightly. "No." She replied, glumly, despite the throbbing and bleeding bump on her head. "They just threw rocks at me because they don't like Mitsuko-nee, and that's just stupid. She's the nicest big sister in the world!" She wiped her nose on her sleeve and fought back tears, trying her best to be brave for her sister and her parents and everyone else she could think of.

Mitsuko. It was crazy to think Mitsuko had anything to do with this, but it was equally crazy to think a large branch would suddenly snap like that. Iruka patted the girl's hair, picking her up gently. "Don't worry, Harumi-chan. I'll be talking to them later. Let's get you some ice for your head." And perhaps he could ask some questions then. Although, technically, Harumi already knew what he wanted to ask. Well, it wouldn't be the first time he pretended he didn't 

know something, just to maintain a sense of normalcy for his students.

Nodding, Harumi rested her head on his shoulder. "Okay," she sniffed again, wiping at her eyes. Shinobi didn't cry, they just didn't. That's what her great-grandfather used to tell her. Then again, her father said it was okay to cry sometimes. "Iruka-sensei?" She sounded so incredibly small. "Is it okay to cry?"

Iruka stared at her in shock. He might have laughed, except he was so horrified by the question. "It is. Of course it is, Harumi-chan." He set her down on the table in the workroom and lifted the ice pack to her head. "There may be certain times in the future when you want to cry, but you're not able to. Perhaps because you don't want to upset the people around you, or something like that." Iruka forced the scenes of torture and warfare from his mind - she would see it firsthand soon enough. "But you're still a little girl. If you want to cry, it's okay." He lifted her head up a little, smiling. "Harumi-chan, can you read my mind?"

She nodded slowly, sniffing. "Mm hmm..." The tears were streaming down her face now, set free by his gentle words. "Yeah, I can read minds. Yours, too." She giggled softly through her tears. "You think daddy is handsome."

"Ack." Okay, that was unexpected, but he would just pretend he hadn't heard that, either. "I'm going to think of some things. Don't be afraid to look - I'm giving you permission." He began to pull memories out of his head, crying after his parents died, crying at the end of a sad movie. Holding back his tears at Sandaime's funeral, and when he'd broken his wrist on a mission and the enemy was too close for him to make a sound. Another time he might have been disgusted with himself because he never realized how easily he cried, but it would have defeated the point. Harumi was loud and emotional, like Naruto in many ways. Like him, too. Iruka grinned, ducking his head. Thinking of Naruto, that was a surefire way to bring tears to his eyes. "You see, Harumi-chan. Even now, just the thought of someone I care about, so far from home. If it's okay for me, I think it's okay for you too. Do you understand?"

Harumi nodded, and soon she was sobbing, head hanging. She sniffled and hiccuped, furiously wiping at her nose. "Dad goes on scary missions all the time, and I'm so afraid because I think he's going to die." She wailed, sobbing loudly. The little girl was afraid for her family. "And Mitsuko-nee is always so quiet and nice, but I can see it in her head, that when the boys and girls are mean to her, she is sad. And nobody understands us because we're dangerous!"

Iruka pulled the girl closer, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "Not dangerous, Harumi-chan. Or maybe not intentionally so. Just... different." Knowing things, things like this, not just suspecting but knowing them, how difficult it was on this family. And Iruka couldn't do a thing to reassure Harumi because she knew, she knew her father could die on a mission, she knew what she and her sisters could do if they lost control. All he could do was hold her and hope she could survive, the same as he hoped for any of his students. "You know, if someone's bothering you or your sisters, you should tell someone before it gets out of hand."

Harumi sniffed, choking slightly on her tears, bawling into his shoulder. "But nobody will listen."

"I'll listen, Harumi-chan. Your mother will listen. Your father will listen." Iruka paused, thinking of Kakashi. He wouldn't be Iruka's first choice to comfort a troubled child, but 

Kakashi knew Ryu, they were friends. Obviously he knew something of Ryu's family. "Kakashi-sensei. He's a friend of your father's. Do you know him? He would listen."

Harumi blinked. "Scarecrow-san?" She tilted her head, drying her eyes. Sniffing, she looked into Iruka's eyes. "No, Scarecrow-san is too troubled. I don't want to bother him with things like these. They aren't important, in the big perspective." She smiled the eerie, sweet smile, and Iruka understood why her clan was rumoured to be exceptionally intelligent.

"You're probably right, Harumi-chan," Iruka answered, thinking of Kakashi's injuries. "Why don't you go back to class now? It's nearly lunchtime, and I need to leave soon." No way was he going to ask about Mitsuko now, not after that tearful display. His vest was soaked. Plus, he had to arrange another detention - Shiro might have a twisted knee, but his friends were still around.

Harumi smiled slightly, nodding. "Okay. But it's no fun, I know all there is to know already." Tilting her head, she hopped off of the table. "Teachers should learn how to guard their thoughts. You might never know who's peeking into them." She smiled knowingly at him and walked out the door, humming softly to herself.

--

Kakashi was bored out of his mind. Nothing appealed to him... Not that he had much to do, anyway, and he couldn't exactly get out of bed. The thought of Tsunade's wrath was most unappealing. Ryu had stopped by earlier, and Iruka would be home soon, so he had no one to harass, either. The world hated him, he was sure of it.

He rolled around in bed and growled softly at his aching ribs, which were protesting loudly to his movements. He didn't want to be injured, but it didn't seem like he had a choice. Looking at the picture of his old teams on the bedside table, he sighed softly. Yondaime-sama was gone. Obito was gone. Rin was gone. Sasuke was gone. Naruto had gone with Jiraiya, and Sakura was training under Tsunade. He only had Mr. Ukki, his sweet, gentle and obviously stressed caretaker, the half-insane ANBU captain and no books for company. No wonder he was bored out of his mind. Boredom drove him to insanity, which in turn made him act like an asshole to Iruka, who only tried to be kind.

Fair enough, he felt threatened because he had to spend time with him, and the fact that he was injured and needed care left him with little to no privacy. There was also the issue with caring for Iruka. He didn't want to, because it brought complications, but he couldn't help himself. The chuunin was so incredibly lovely, so incredibly good and kind (and not bad looking, either), and that fact also enhanced his already large issues with privacy.

Sighing softly, Kakashi shifted again, trying to find a comfortable position on the bed. "Wonderful. I'm--"

Hearing a soft sound of the front door sliding open, Kakashi shifted into a slightly less than prone position, looking at the door. He frowned. "Iruka? Is that you?"

"It's me, Kakashi-sensei!" a voice answered from the entry. Soon enough, a head poked through the door. "Are you hungry? I'm making lunch right now."

Kakashi sighed. "Sure, food sounds good. Will you keep me company, please?" He'd been 

lonely. Being polite never hurt anyone.

Iruka didn't bother to mask his surprise. Both at Kakashi's words and his tone. But, he reasoned, the man wasn't used to being housebound for so long. "Um, okay, if you don't mind cold food. I can't stay too long." And he'd been planning on using the time to come up with more test questions. Really, if he weren't so opposed to setting traps around his apartment, he could have just kept a running list of all the questions he'd ever used. There was one at the Academy, though. He unzipped his vest and tossed it on the table in the main room - it was a disaster. Maybe he had another one.

"Uh... Why's your vest soaked? It wasn't raining outside..." Puzzled, Kakashi cocked his head to the side. Why hadn't he heard the patter of rain?

"One of the hazards of being a teacher." Iruka stared at Kakashi a moment, thinking. "Let me go get lunch, then I want to talk to you about something." He left the room on the cryptic note, his bare feet padding softly against the wood slats of the porch.

Kakashi's left eyebrow quirked. Hm. What did that mean? He settled back on the bed, waiting with slight impatience. He didn't want to be alone anymore, even though he liked solitude just fine. Only, when he liked solitude, he had the choice of seeking people out if he needed it. He didn't have to lay around in bed all day.

--

Twenty minutes later, Iruka set a tray on the bed next to Kakashi. He hoped Kakashi wouldn't complain about the cold food - onigiri was meant to be cold, and the grilled fish from dinner tasted okay. But cold miso soup? Shrugging to himself, he took his place at the foot of the bed, on the floor.

Kakashi watched him warily, turning to tug his mask down. He ate quickly, not really enjoying the food, but enjoying the nourishment. When he was done, he set his plate down and turned back, pulling his mask back up. "What did you want to talk about?"

Sighing again, Iruka leaned back against the bed frame. "Are you able to keep your thoughts from Uzuki-san?"

"Hmmm..." Kakashi's brow furrowed. "If I need to... But not if he really tries. It's difficult and takes up a lot of concentration." He cocked his head to the side, thinking. "Why?" Why would Iruka want to know this? Had something happened?

"What about from one of his daughters?" Iruka ducked his head, even though Kakashi couldn't really see him do it. "Harumi-chan isn't being challenged because she can't resist peeking into her teachers' heads. While I expect her, and her sisters, to develop some restraint in that area, it really isn't fair to ask so much of them. This is their family talent, after all." Iruka hoped Kakashi understood what he meant, because he didn't know how else to put it.

Kakashi pondered for a moment. "Nope. Not a chance. I can't even block my thoughts from _Midori_ and she's five, and by far the weakest of the bunch." He shook his head. "You could talk to Riku, I'm sure he could teach you, but it's going to be difficult."

"No, that's okay. I just wondered." He was silent for a moment, thinking about Harumi. 

"Harumi-chan is under a lot of stress, I think. She knows too much about what Uzuki-san is doing, and she's scared. It makes me wonder how hard is it for the other two, that maybe they're not showing it."

"Mmm... It's pretty hard for Sadako-chan, at least. I don't know about the other one, she never speaks." Kakashi thought about Riku, about Orochimaru, about everything that had had happened to the family. "I mean... Their uncle is locked up in the psychward. That's why it would be difficult for him to teach you. He isn't stable, and he is by far the strongest. Ryu once told me he was the strongest in possession of the kekkei genkai ever recorded in the clan books."

"I suppose Harumi-chan knows that as well." Iruka stood up and stretched, then bent down to pick up his tray. "That's all I wanted to know. Thanks. Are you finished?"

Kakashi nodded, too puzzled to speak. "Uh... Yeah. Thanks." He smiled faintly and slid down on the bed, closing his eyes. Food made him sleepy. Maybe he could sleep until Iruka came back, so he wouldn't be so lonely? It was a goal, but he would probably not be able to reach it.

"Go ahead and sleep. I'll be back late tonight - I have a late shift in the file room. Do you want anything before I go?"

"My books?" Kakashi blinked an eye open, watching him hopefully.

Iruka bit back a groan. He knew which books Kakashi meant. "Are you sure you want those books, Kakashi-sensei? Don't you think they might be a little, um, too much for you right now?" He bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to blush over saying _that_ out loud. "Maybe some classic novels, instead?"

"Uh... No, I'd like my books, please. Thank you." It was rather dismissive, but Kakashi held no interest in classic literature, at least not at the moment. He wanted his Icha Icha books. It wasn't exactly like they were all that flustering anyway. He just liked them for the plot. Not that there was much plot. Besides, they could be inspiration for later.

"Okay, fine," Iruka muttered, recognizing that tone in Kakashi's voice. The one signalling he was five seconds away from snarling. "I'll look for them. Sleep well, I've really got to go now." If he could get out now, maybe he could pretend he couldn't find them.

Kakashi knew what he was up to, but let it slide. He was sleepy. Turning from the pretty chuunin, he pretended to disregard him completely, closing his eyes. He wanted to sleep.

--

There weren't any new missions to hand out, so Tsunade sent him upstairs to the Report room. That was usually empty as well, but for some reason, it seemed every shinobi not on duty or away was hanging around, sprawled across the old sofas or lounging against the walls. He knew Izumo was dying to ask him how his week had gone so far, but with the crowd, his colleague knew better than to bring it up - Iruka wouldn't get any peace if everyone found out about his unusual punishment. So he sat, nodding and smiling, listening to the men and women gossip and gripe. He was grateful when he could escape to the file room for some quiet.

It was late when Iruka returned, later than he'd intended. An extra box of reports had been delivered just as he was getting ready to leave, so he had to stay until that was done - Izumo and Kotetsu had already left for their shift on the gate. Then Tsunade wanted to chat about something, not exacty related to Kakashi, and Iruka suspected it was just a ruse to get out of doing whatever Shizune was tapping her foot over. It was so late when he left, Iruka didn't bother going to Kakashi's apartment - he was a little worried about the man being left alone for so long.

He dumped his satchel and shoes in the entry, listening carefully to see if Kakashi was still asleep. He wouldn't call out this late, thinking the words in his mind instead.

The soft sound of wood sliding registered in Kakashi's groggy brain. He rubbed his eyes, tugging his mask up, then shifted slightly. "Iruka-sensei?" His voice was husky and raspy from sleep, and his stomach grumbled loudly. He felt hunger tear at his innards like a vicious monster waiting to break loose. "Is that you?"

"Yes, Kakashi-sensei. Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up." Iruka knelt down and fumbled with the lantern, blinking against the sudden light in the main room. "How are you feeling?"

Kakashi grunted. His voice was low and husky with disuse. "Groggy. Slept ever since you left, actually. A little hungry. Did you bring my books?"

"I'm sorry, no." Iruka shifted on his feet, frowning. "I had to stay late in the file room, so I came directly here. Do you want to take a bath? I can heat it up while I'm cooking."

Kakashi shook his head. "No, my muscles ache too badly. If I go take a bath now, my body is going to quit functioning." He shifted around, grunting softly with the pain. "I'm just hungry. Though... Maybe you can bring back my books tomorrow? Either that, or I get Ryu to fetch them. No sweat."

That was easy, Iruka blinked to himself. He expected a temper tantrum, at least a sharp word or two. "Yeah, I can bring them tomorrow. I'll just need to leave earlier in the morning." He set the lantern on Kakashi's bedside table and leaned down, setting his hand against Kakashi's forehead. "You don't feel feverish. I'll talk to Tsunade tomorrow - your muscles are probably aching from being in bed all the time." He smiled and stepped away. "I'll go start dinner now. Call me if you need anything."

"Mmm," Kakashi mumbled his affirmation that he'd heard and understood. Then he settled down again, ready for a little nap before food was brought.

--

It was nearly an hour later before Iruka was finished. He'd managed to cook everything, including preparations for breakfast and lunch tomorrow. The bath was almost ready, and if Kakashi still didn't want one, Iruka wasn't going to wait. He smelled like oil, and he knew he wouldn't have time in the morning. He carried Kakashi's tray into the bedroom, smiling when he saw Kakashi had fallen back asleep. He couldn't resist sneaking a piece of the tempura - it was perfect. "Kakashi-sensei, you need to wake up and eat."

Kakashi sat up, looked at the food, then glanced at Iruka with a deadpan expression on his face. "I'm not eating that."

"No, it's good. I promise. The best I've ever made. I guess that ancient stove is good for one thing after all." Iruka set the tray in Kakashi's lap and turned to leave. He'd left his tray in the kitchen, and his mouth was watering already.

"You don't get it, Iruka-sensei. I hate tempura. There's nothing wrong with your cooking, I just really hate tempura. It's disgusting." Wrinkling his nose, Kakashi poked a piece of tempura with the tip of a finger. He could remember the first time he tried tempura. It had been squelchy and oily and disgusting. The next time he tried it, it had been done properly, but it still tasted disgusting. He was not putting another piece of that inside his mouth. Ever.

"Oh." Iruka tried to keep his expression bland, remembering quite clearly when he'd asked Kakashi if he liked anything in particular. He had assumed if Kakashi _didn't_ like something, the man would have said something then. Not now, not after Iruka had spent so much time frying the little pieces. He opened his mouth again, shook his head, and shut it. If Kakashi didn't like tempura, forcing him to eat it just because Iruka was tired wouldn't be right. He picked up the tray with a sigh. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that. I guess dinner will take a little longer. The bath is ready, in case you've changed your mind. It's not that hot yet, so maybe you could tolerate it?"

Kakashi sighed, feeling a twinge of guilt. He quickly battled it down with all of his mental arsenal of bombs and whatnot, and looked up at the pretty chuunin. "No, I'm good. I'll force Ryu into heating some water for me in the morning, as he has his shift then. If you could just bring me a plate of sliced fruits, I'd be happy. I'm not all that hungry anyway. You eat your..." his nose wrinkled in disgust, "tempura, and take a bath. Rest some, you're probably tired." He sank back down into his pillows and smiled slightly.

"Kakashi-sensei, you can't eat just fruit. Especially not before bed." And not on an empty stomach, either. With Iruka's luck, Kakashi would end up spending the entire night on the toilet. "How about a mild curry? I can set it on the stove and it will done by the time I'm through with my bath."

Kakashi nodded. "Okay. Now go and eat. You look like shit."

"Thanks ever so much," Iruka muttered back, shaking his head as he left the room with the tray. "I'll be back in while."

--

One good thing about having the kitchen next to the bath, and knowing the only other person in the house was bed-ridden, was being able to go back and forth without worrying about clothes. Iruka gorged himself on tempura, then started the curry. He rinsed himself off and decided to check on the stew before he got in the tub. He didn't bother with a towel. The meat was browned nicely, and everything was bubbling happily. Iruka sighed and stretched again, setting the pot off to the side so it would simmer slowly. He didn't want it to burn.

He lay back in the tub, finally relaxing. He could feel every tense muscle trying to expand at once, and he hoped he wouldn't fall asleep right there. The water was almost too hot, but Iruka didn't mind. He might not get another chance for the next few days. It reminded him of home, in some strange way. He could almost hear his mother's voice in the kitchen, reminding him to wash his ears while she chopped vegetables for dinner.

--

Kakashi slipped in and out of a light doze, his body in such a state it needed continuous rest. He hadn't been this weak since the mission in Wave, and maybe not even then. He hated it, he hated pain, but he tried his best to endure. Anything was better than Tsunade's wrath.

It didn't help, knowing just where Iruka was and what he was doing. Several times during the next hour, Kakashi found himself wondering what Iruka looked like naked, skin warm, long hair trailing rivulets of water down his back. With the pictures of Iruka naked came the pictures of Iruka naked and on top of him. With those pictures came images of Iruka sliding in and out of him, and with such images came a sudden stirring, surprising but still unpleasant and uncalled for. Kakashi tried not to think about it and turned around, shifting to hide his erection. He didn't want it to tent the blankets when Iruka came in with his food.

Iruka carried the tray carefully. He put quite a bit into the bowl, hoping Kakashi was still in his obedient, docile state. Probably not, but Iruka couldn't help but worry. He'd seen small children who ate more than Kakashi did. At the door to the bedroom, he paused. Kakashi was on his side, with his back to Iruka. "Kakashi-sensei? Are you awake? Your food's ready."

Kakashi cleared his throat and fought back a moan at his voice. What he said wasn't particularily erotic, it was just the sound. The sound of Iruka's voice, his face, his body, his demeanour... Kakashi was hopelessly in lust with him, if not in love. "I'm awake." He finally managed, looking at him over his shoulder. He regretted it instantly - Iruka's hair was indeed wet, although the man wore a towel loosely around his neck to prevent drips.

"Sorry, you looked like you were sleeping." Iruka set the tray down on the floor and stepped closer to the bed. "Come on, let me help you sit up so you can eat. It's getting late."

Kakashi could practically feel his eyes bugging out. Iruka's skin was flushed, and Kakashi knew it would be warm and slightly damp. "Uh... N-no, it's f-fine!" His voice was far too high pitched. His cock was still hard, damnit. He sure as hell didn't want Iruka to see that, much less have to explain it.

Okay, the docile period was over. Iruka stepped back slowly, hands carefully at his side, hiding his irritation. "Okay, okay, that's fine. You can sit up. I'll just set the tray here." He picked up the tray and put it next to Kakashi on the bed. "Try not the spill it, it's very hot. Let me know if you need anything."

"Uh... Yeah, sure..." Like you, fucking me into the mattress? Kakashi sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "You..." he murmured, almost, but not quite inaudible. He smiled. "I'll let you know."

--

Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, too! I'm trying to get them out as fast as I can while I think of how to finish the baby. It's kind of difficult, though. The plot is so complex, and I can't really decide on how I want things to end.

Anywhooo… I hope you'll decide to share your thoughts on this project with me! It would be a great help and encouragement XD (And yes, that was a blatant hint to leave REVIEWS)


	7. Chapter 6

Do I really have to go through with the whole disclaimer deal again? REALLY?? Ech. I'm pretty sure you've all gotten the gist of it by now. No own, no sue.

As for warnings… Well, there is still some mild sense of horror. Yay! XD

And, since anonymous coward didn't leave an e-mail: There's a point with it all. I know it seems kind of untidy in the beginning, but there's a reason for it. Don't worry. There is no god-modding or anything going on, in case you wondered. Thanks for the critical viewpoint, though! I appreciated it muchly. And I'm glad you didn't just burn my ass and leave me to die XD

--

**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 6**

--

Iruka woke instantly, every nerve in his body screaming 'Intruder!'. He lay still, regulating his breathing until he was sure he was alone. He could hear Kakashi's breathing, slow and steady, from the open doorway. This time, he didn't wait, but grabbed his sandals and left the small house, landing on the roof this time. As before, the yard was dim in the moonlight, but Iruka could hear it, panting, its heavy footsteps padding around the house, rustling the grass as it walked.

He crawled across the roof, kunai in hand, then shimmied quietly to the garden wall on one side. The moon disappeared when a sudden wind sent clouds across the sky. Iruka walked slowly, jumping over a tree branch that blocked his path, stray limbs pulling at his vest. He looked out behind the wall, into the forest. Something there, maybe? Something that wanted into the garden? Or something running away? There was only one way to find out. Iruka crouched, meaning to slide down the back of the wall.

A sudden growl stopped him, his entire body freezing at the sound. He stayed low to the wall, watching the large black wolf with the eerie grey eyes on the ground. It shook its head, growling again. Iruka didn't wait, sprinting across the yard, clearing the small pond in one easy leap, until he stood on the porch in front of Kakashi's room. The wolf was there, as it had been before, staring up at him.

Iruka paced the porch, slowly, noting the wolf followed his every step, growling low in its throat whenever Iruka tried to step off the porch. It reminded Iruka of something, and he shook his head, trying to bring the memory closer. A neighbor's dog, he recalled, a small pug, would pace the backyard in just such a fashion whenever Iruka was there. So was the wolf guarding them? Protecting them as they slept? Or was it waiting for Iruka to fall asleep so it could come inside?

The howl seemed to echo through the yard, and Iruka hissed, sure the noise would wake Kakashi this time. And then he was in his bed again, in his pajamas, his kunai still under the futon, and his feet bare. Iruka groaned, looking at the clock. Whatever this was, this dream or nightmare, if the wolf was real or just imaginary, Iruka couldn't really care. He got up and shut the door to Kakashi's room, then sat outside on the porch. He leaned against a post, staring out into the dark night sky. It was nearly dawn before he fell asleep, sighing as his body slipped to the ground.

--

Kakashi woke the next morning to a hot, large tongue on his face. He could smell dog breath, which wasn't entirely pleasant, but also quite familiar. Feeling safe, he reached out and stroked one large, pointed ear. His hand moved behind the large ear to scratch, then he stroked 

the soft fur. With a yawn, he opened his regular eye and stared. In front of his bed, smiling, sat a large wolf. It was black and its eyes were grey.

"Decided to play your trick on me, Ryu?" Kakashi yawned, stretching to feel his muscles.

Then he woke up. It was just before dawn, and the colours of the sky were soft and beautiful, almost but not quite dark. There was an orange glow on the horizon, breathtakingly beautiful. His body didn't hurt quite as much, and he noticed a pair of crutches by his bedside. Had Ryu placed them there? Did he indicate he should get out of bed to see something?

Sighing softly to himself, Kakashi sat up and tugged his mask on. He put his feet gingerly on the ground and reached out for the crutches to steady himself as he got up. When he'd succeeded as much, he hobbled over to the sliding doors leading out onto the porch. He wanted to feel the fresh morning air on his skin, inhale deeply and be refreshed. He slid open the door and was greeted by the sight of Iruka, sprawled on the porch.

His heart nearly stopped in his chest, and he was struck with a wild sense of panic. "Iruka-sensei?" He hobbled over to the prone man, not noticing he was asleep. He looked for the telltale pool of blood, pale skin... No sign of death was there. Relaxing somewhat, Kakashi prodded him gingerly with the tip of his toe. "Iruka-sensei? Wake up, please..." Softly, he added, "please, don't be dead."

Iruka shook his head, groggy and trying to blink away the fog. Hadn't he just fallen asleep? Was he dreaming again? "Kakashi-sensei..." He came awake suddenly, remembering the wolf. It was morning already, but barely so. He must have fallen asleep outside. "What are you doing out of bed?" he demanded, a little surprised at the crutches the man was using. He didn't remember those being in the house.

Kakashi smiled slightly. "There were crutches by my bed, so I decided to use them. Don't worry, I don't think they're poisoned." He peered down at the beautiful chuunin, his head tilted to one side. "I'm feeling a little better... Why are you sleeping on the porch?"

"Oh, this." Iruka chuckled, pushing up onto his feet. "I thought I heard something out there, in the garden. I couldn't sleep." He knew he looked ridiculous - pajamas rumpled, hair tangled, and still holding a kunai. "Except, it looks like I did sleep." He laughed again, ducking his head. "You're up early. Did you want a bath now? I need to get breakfast started. I hope you'll eat something before I go."

Still recovering from his little shock - and seeing Iruka so incredibly tired, Kakashi decided to be docile and make things easier on him. "A bath sounds nice. And breakfast sounds nice. Do we have any onigiri?" Kakashi smiled gently, moving to hobble inside, still watching the chuunin.

"Um, I can make some. I need to make more rice anyway." He watched Kakashi carefully, not really comfortable with Kakashi moving around, but unwilling to protest just yet. "Let me go get things started." He could wash up while the bath was heating. He needed to leave early anyway - he promised Kakashi to get the books today.

Kakashi flashed him his biggest, brightest smile and hobbled down the porch and into the kitchen. He was quite happy with his newfound freedom of movement, and would move 

carefully around so he didn't have to give it up so soon. He'd go back to bed when he was tired.

He finally managed to make his way over to a chair and sat down on it. Hobbling wasn't quite tiring, but he didn't want to test his limits. And even though he'd been behaving like the worst asshole ever born lately, he didn't want to add to Iruka's worries. "Iruka-sensei... I want to pay you back when I'm well."

"What?" Iruka pushed aside the curtain as he walked back into the kitchen and stooped down to start the wood stove. "I hope you're kidding. You don't need to do that. I'm just glad..." He stopped, unsure of how to say something he was barely aware of himself. Why had it bothered him that Kakashi had been hurt at all? "I'm just glad you're safe and you've been given the time to heal completely. I think Konoha would be in dire straits without you." He kept his voice even and his head focused on his task of chopping vegetables. This wasn't quite the light-hearted pre-breakfast conversation he'd envisioned before, but it had to be said. "Naruto... He, and Sakura, and even Sasuke, because no matter how it looks now, it's not over. Sandaime was right to choose you as their jonin-sensei." He bit his lip because Kakashi was just _staring_ at him now, and he could feel his cheeks flushing, hoping it wasn't too visible across the dim room. "Without you, they would never have progressed so quickly."

Kakashi bit down on his lip, feeling his cheeks heat up. The praise from Iruka-sensei, the same person who had doubted his judgement so much, meant a lot to him. He fumbled for words for quite some time, trying and failing to find adequate wording for his gratitude. He simply made a noncommital sound and kept looking at him - barely able to keep his eyes away from the beautiful man in front of him. "You're gorgeous," he murmured, quite unaware of saying so.

"Hnnn," Iruka replied absently, his attention still focused on his own internal dialogue. "Wait, what?" Because surely Kakashi hadn't said what he thought he heard. Nobody would say anything like that to him. Except Anko, and she didn't count because she only did it because she liked to make him blush. And why would he be hearing something like that anyway? Did he _want_ to hear that from Kakashi?

"What?" Kakashi blinked. Had he said... Oh wait, noooo! Had he said _that_? "Did I say... what I think I said?" His blush was quickly covering even the part of his face not covered by his mask, and travelling up and down his body. "Did I call you gorgeous?"

Ignorance. That was the only way out of this. "I didn't hear anything. Let me go see if the bath is hot enough." Because if Kakashi didn't know what he was saying, it was just easier to pretend Iruka hadn't heard anything.

Fuck it, Kakashi thought. Fuck him, fuck this, fuck fucking everything! FUCK! He was screaming inside, and would have smacked his forehead if he was able to. If he _had_ been able to smack his forehead, he could've ran after him. He could have stopped Iruka from running away every bleeding time something went wrong, or turned out differently than he'd originally planned/intended. Not that Kakashi was any better than him, but he didn't have much choice in the matter. He sighed softly to himself, turning his head to look out of the window. Such beautiful colours... He wished he had someone to share them with. Someone to love and hold dear.

Iruka might, in time, become one to hold dear, but Kakashi doubted it. He was cross and unyielding, right out rude to the chuunin. If he had been Iruka, he'd have left a long time ago. Didn't that say something about the guy, though? He was so strong, so stubborn and tough and just plain amazing. Now that Kakashi had realized this, he didn't want to spend the rest of his lifetime alone. If he had to, he'd lay in bed and stay sick forever, if that would keep the pretty chuunin around.

How could he be such an ass?

Well, he was defensive. And while being defensive was good in some situations, it was a bad trait in others. No more being rude around Iruka. Great, now what would he do? Be nice and kind and teasing and flirty and... a gentleman? He didn't think the chuunin would react well to that either. He'd paid him one compliment and he'd run for the door. No, he'd take small steps. Become a little more cooperative, a little kinder in his words. Sure, he'd still be Kakashi, but he could become a nicer edition of Kakashi. Good plan.

"Iruka-sensei? I think the rice is burning." He added helpfully, unable to walk over to the stove and see for himself.

"Augh, no!" Iruka rushed back into the room, jumping for the stove and pushing the pot aside. He bent down and poked at the wood with a stick before shutting the grate again. "Thanks. Your bath is ready, I didn't let it get too hot today, since your muscles have been, um, aching and all." He scowled at the stove again before filling the kettle with water. "Do you want some help getting up the steps?"

"Uh... Yeah, that would be nice, thank you." Kakashi smiled, a little uncertain. He wondered how he was going to get up from washing himself off. He usually perched on his knees when doing so. "I'd also appreciate some help getting up, you know... So I don't fall over and crack my skull on the edge of the tub." He let out a soft, nervous laugh. "Not that you'd mind, but whatever."

"Kakashi-sensei, of course I would mind if you cracked your head open. And not just because Godaime would hand me over to T&I as a test subject. Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Iruka slid the soup pot to the side, along with the kettle. He still had plenty of time, and this was his job after all. If Kakashi was willing to make it easy on him, Iruka wasn't going to complain. "I'm going to put the crutches on the porch so neither one of us trips over them later." He held the crutches in one hand, sliding the other under Kakashi's arm and around his shoulder. "Lean on me."

It felt like heaven, having him this close. Kakashi could still smell the scent of sleep on Iruka, and his body was warm against his. He wanted to lean in and sniff him, wanted to bury his face in those beautiful, brown locks of hair. He wanted to stare into those kind, chocolate-coloured eyes for eternity. Kakashi wanted Iruka so much, his heart ached. So he leaned close and took comfort in it, a stolen moment where he could imagine that Iruka might want him back. Though, a voice in the back of his mind said, which sounded ominously like Obito, he probably never would. Iruka wouldn't want a guy like him, a person who had trust issues on top of all of his other issues. Hell, Iruka probably wasn't even gay OR bi. At least not with Kakashi's luck.

"Take me to the bathroom, then," Kakashi said, plastering a big, fake grin on his face. No use 

letting Iruka see his moment of insecurity.

Iruka grinned back, but he couldn't help a little shudder at how close their faces were now. Even with most of Kakashi's face covered, Iruka felt there was something magnetic about the man. His one visible eye was a darker brown than Iruka's, and his voice was usually so smug and laid-back. Maybe it was the mask? Or the shock of white hair? Or just the air of a man who'd been through war and come out intact, at least physically? Stop it, Iruka growled to himself. Don't think about him like that, not when he's finally trusting you to help him!

Instead, Iruka maneuvered them into the bathroom, keeping his attention on Kakashi's feet, warning him of bumps and steps, turning them so Kakashi's shoulders wouldn't bump into the doorway. He set the crutches against the wall and grabbed a rag, setting down on the stool. "Um, go ahead and drop your pants here. I'll set you down and you can manage your shirt, right?" He didn't mind helping as much as he was needed, but Kakashi had seemed pretty modest the last time Iruka tried to help him bathe. Well, modest, and angry, Iruka sighing when he remembered how wet he'd gotten from that encounter.

Suddenly feeling like he was five years old again, being told he had to dress down for the nurse's examination, Kakashi blushed profusely. He then proceeded to remove his clothes, gingerly and slowly. His body was suddenly visible for the chuunin's eyes to see, and he had time to watch it now that Kakashi was actually working with him.

Across his torso were large bruises and almost-healed gashes. His muscles were incredibly well defined, perhaps from lack of the extra layer of fat most people had. Not many inches of his skin remained its natural color, and there were countless old scars. The bruises, which were pretty bad, were beginning to heal up a little and had now turned a faint, yellow-green colour. They would probably be gone in a day or two.

Iruka folded a long wash cloth and placed it across Kakashi's lap, then turned to hang up the pajamas, carefully noting any new bruises and the condition of the older ones. He dipped a basin into the tub and set it next to Kakashi, squatting behind with another washcloth. "Let me know if I'm rubbing too hard," he said softly, hoping the water wasn't too hot. Kakashi's skin looked pink already.

"Okay..." Kakashi sighed. It was humiliating to have someone else wash him, like he was some old cripple who couldn't take care of himself. However, doing it on his own meant unecessary pain and potentially lethal injuries, so he let Iruka do his job without complaining. The chuunin's hands were gentle, even if the pressure hurt on some spots. It felt good, having him near, his hands on his body. Almost _too_ good. He didn't want to have to explain an erection to Iruka, and having one when naked would be quite obvious. So he thought of something unattractive. Like... Ton-Ton. Ton-Ton was not exactly something Kakashi would consider dating. Or a woman looking like Ton-Ton, for that matter. He shuddered involuntarily and mentally shook his head. Okay. No danger of impending erection here.

It didn't take long until Iruka was nearly done. Iruka shut his eyes and turned his head away. "Kakashi, if you lean on my shoulder, can you finish up? Then I can wash your hair and you'll be done."

"Uh... Yeah..." Kakashi felt a little weird about this, but leaned on Iruka as he washed his private bits. At least the guy had the decency to let him do it himself, and close his eyes while 

he did it. When he finished, he sat back down and replaced the large washcloth over his lap. "There... I've been a good boy. Do I get a treat?"

"Sure. You get to not have lice." Iruka plucked the hitai-ate off of Kakashi's head, then slowly poured the rest of the water in the basin over Kakashi's head. "Keep your eyes closed so the shampoo won't burn your eyes." It was easier to treat Kakashi like a student, not a grown man. He hoped he wasn't being patronising, but it was just too uncomfortable, washing a near-stranger like this.

Kakashi obediently kept his eyes closed and enjoyed the feeling of fingers massaging his scalp. "Mmm..." He smiled softly and leaned into the gentle touch. It felt so good. "I'm nearly falling asleep, here... Feels so good..." Out of the blue, the memory of his dream returned. "Hey, Iruka-sensei.. I had this weird dream just before I woke up." He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. Iruka's hands were so damned distracting. "I dreamt that I woke up, and a large wolf with grey eyes was sitting by my bed. Strange, huh? Wolves don't have grey eyes." He stifled a yawn and rolled his shoulders. The joints gave a soft popping sound and the slight ache subsided.

Iruka dropped the shampoo with a clatter. "A wolf?" He forced himself to take a deep breath, his fingers scrubbing gently along Kakashi's hairline. "Are you sure it was a wolf?" Because that was just too coincidental, and Iruka needed a few minutes to sort out his own memories.

"Uh... Yeah, it was a wolf. Big one, too. Like a small bear, really. But definitely canine and definitely a wolf. Why? You seem shocked." Kakashi knew there was still shampoo in his hair, so he kept his eyes shut, no matter how much he wanted to turn around and look at Iruka. His mask was soggy and he longed to take it off, as well, but then he'd have to ask Iruka to put on a blindfold and Kakashi was not in the mood for fingers in ears and other places. Like eyes.

Shaking his head again, Iruka dipped the basin into the tub to rinse Kakashi's hair. "It's weird. I've been dreaming of a wolf for two days now. A huge black wolf with grey eyes, out in the garden." He squeezed Kakashi's hair, satisfied that all the shampoo was gone. "Here, hang onto me. I'm going to put you in the tub." He snagged the towel in Kakashi's lap, draping it around Kakashi's waist. "Usually I can tell when I'm dreaming, but these... it's almost like a genjutsu, but then I wake up right back where I started. Except..." Should he even tell Kakashi about the door closing itself? Or why he was really dozing on the porch? No, it would be better to leave it alone. Then Kakashi would worry, and that wouldn't help either one of them.

Kakashi waited for a moment, leaning on Iruka. "Except... What?"

Iruka gently lowered Kakashi into the tub, grateful they had an electric heater. If he'd had to use wood to heat the bath, this would have taken much longer. "It's silly. I'm sure I'm just forgetting things. But the first night, your door was closed. And I was sure I had left it open, because the weather was so nice. See, silly, right?" Iruka stood up and turned to leave. He needed to check on the food, and his pajamas were more than a little wet now. He could see his skin through the old, faded cloth in some spots.

If his face was visible, Kakashi was certain that Iruka would have seen him drool. "Uh... Actually... You've almost always left my door open." He sighed and relaxed back into the water, feeling the soft heat relax the muscles he didn't realise where aching.

"Well, apparently not. Doors just don't close themselves." He grinned again and shrugged. "Call out if you need anything." Then Iruka left Kakashi to his bath, returning to the kitchen to finish breakfast.

In the bath, Kakashi settled for thinking ugly thoughts about Ryu, knowing the large man would be able to read them if he tried, and he most certainly would.

--

Iruka had Kakashi fed and settled in bed before he went to work. So now, Kakashi was all alone, which suited him fine. He was already planning what he would do when he recovered, and how to go on with his life without Iruka in it. It would be weird, he thought, not being around the pretty, energetic chuunin. He'd come to depend on his presence, having him close all the time. It was familiar and safe. In fact, Iruka might be considered one of his friends, sort of. Not that they were really on friendly terms, but... Well, Iruka was dear to him, in some strange way.

Somehow, the chuunin had managed to sneak his way under his skin. He'd managed to lower all of Kakashi's defences, yet he still managed to set them off. All of Kakashi's emotions were rioting, he was confused and unsettled, and still so utterly protected. It wasn't something he was used to, hell, he didn't even know if he _liked_ it, but... It was good.

"Iruka-sensei... You really are something." Kakashi sighed softly to himself, wishing he could tell Iruka how he felt about him.

"You sound like a lovesick child, Kakashi." The dark, pleasant voice drifted in through the sliding door, and soon after, a tall man with ANBU gear entered the room.

"Well, maybe I am. Doesn't mean it's voluntary, and it doesn't mean I like it." Suddenly, all of Kakashi's hackles were up again. The tall man made a placating motion and sat down on the side of the bed.

"You don't look like shit anymore, 'Kashi. Feeling better?" Ryu smiled behind his mask, stroking a large, elegant hand through toussled silver locks.

"Yeah. Thanks for the crutches." Kakashi closed his eyes and slid further down on the bed. Ryu was probably going to deny the whole thing.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but you're welcome." He sounded amused.

Kakashi smiled, reaching up gingerly to tap the wolf's muzzle. "Everything okay with you?"

"Yes. Everything is fine. I'm happy, because Riku has shown great improvement and will be discharged under care of his family for the holiday. I've missed having him around on New Year's Eve."

"I'm sure it will do him good." Kakashi smiled slightly, reaching over to take Ryu's hand and squeeze it, before letting go again.

Ryu lowered his head for a moment, and the set of his shoulders told Kakashi much, even 

though he couldn't see his face. "You've seen something you didn't like."

"Perhaps, but there isn't much I can do to prevent it, and the future changes. I don't know if it will happen until it does."

"It'll be alright." Kakashi tried to give him a reassuring smile, but he was clueless. He didn't know what this family went through, couldn't understand it if he tried. All he could do was try to understand, and it would be appreciated - not many people did as much.

"I hope you're right," Ryu sighed heavily. "I really hope you're right."

--

Hope you enjoyed, there is more to follow! Reviewplzkthnx!


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I tried to kidnap Kakashi and Iruka, but seeing as they are ninjas and I am fairly lacking in that department, I ended up back-bound and stuck upside down on the branch of a tree with several large dogs barking at me and trying to snatch a bite.

**Warning:** Scary old lady.

--

**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 7**

--

"I said I was sorry! I said I wouldn't do it again! None of us will!" Konohamaru looked at his friends, and they nodded back vigorously.

"I'm sure you won't. But this is your punishment, and you _will_ complete that punishment." Iruka stood over the three students, his eyes hard. "How quickly you complete your tasks tomorrow will be up to you. If you complain and dawdle, you will have to come in on Sunday and finish. It you work quickly, you'll be done in a few hours."

Moegi sniffled a little, her frown turning into a pout.

"Tears won't work this time, Moegi-chan. You didn't have to follow Konohamaru out the window."

Iruka sat down at his desk, watching his three students as they bent over their fifth test of the week. This was the hardest one so far, so Iruka was spending his free period watching them. Tomorrow's would be even harder. And Konohamaru still hadn't figured out he would need to study for each one. Udon, on the other hand, was either spending all of his time studying, or was bright in a way that would rival Shikamaru. Synthesis seemed to be his skill, that's for sure, Iruka decided, going over Udon's previous tests. Ask him facts and figures and he floundered, but ask him to put the same information to use and he was brilliant. They would make a good team when they all finished at the Academy.

"Ebisu-sensei was never this mean," Konohamaru muttered, his pencil scratching against the paper.

"I'll be sure to tell him that," Iruka answered evenly, his eyes on his own work. He ignored the strangled outburst and continued working. Apparently the idea of Iruka passing along a compliment to Konohamaru's former tutor was too gruesome for the boy to bear. Iruka would keep that in mind.

"Okay, pencils down. Report to the classroom for your detention. Koji-sensei will be supervising today, and if I hear even one word of trouble, you three will redo the entire week's worth of tests and detention. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

If looks could kill, Iruka would have been a dead man several times over, even without the venomous look Konohamaru gave him as the boy left. Except, Iruka remembered, some looks _could_ kill. And how could anyone protect themselves against that?

He left the Academy, checking his bag for Kakashi's books. The man had been asleep when Iruka went home for lunch, so Iruka kept them. He had the late shift today, so he would drop by the Hokage's office, then go back to the house and check on Kakashi.

"How's my favorite couple these days?" Tsunade asked with a grin when Iruka walked into her office.

"Um, we haven't killed each other yet, if that's what you mean?"

Tsunade nodded. "Close enough. What's the problem?"

"Kakashi's in pain."

"Tell me something I don't know, Iruka-sensei. Of course he's in pain, he's regrowing bones and tendons right now."

Iruka sighed and nodded. "I know, it's just... his muscles are hurting him. Aching."

Tsunade sighed and nodded. "That's good, but I understand what you mean. His muscles are starting to atrophy. But it's too soon to start rehabilitation." She stood up and began to pace before she nodded. "I'll send someone over. Will you be home tonight?"

"No, I'm on the Report desk tonight. Late shift."

"Get Izumo or Kotetsu to do it." She shook her head when Iruka looked like he was going to protest. "Have you learned _nothing_?" she warned softly, eyes flashing. "Take one of their shifts now, let one of them take yours later."

"Yes, Godaime," Iruka squeaked back, fleeing the office.

--

When Iruka hadn't returned around the time he should, Kakashi was worried. Ryu had left before noon, and Kakashi had slept through most of the rest of the day. He was hungry, though, and Ryu had said that with the way his muscles were hurting, he'd only do himself more harm. He hadn't said what kind of harm, but Kakashi believed him. So he opted for just sprawling in bed, but in the long run, that did nothing to appease his neglected stomach.

"Ryu, if you can hear me now, this would be a great time to lend me your wife so she can cook for me." Kakashi sighed. It was probably futile, but it was definitely worth a shot. He'd heard of Hyuuga Hanako's skill in the kitchen before. It was reported to be almost as great as her skill on the battlefield.

He hadn't expected an answer to his question, prayer, plea or whatever it was, but soon enough, he could hear footsteps approaching. He tried to sit up in bed, but something wouldn't let him. In his mind he could hear Ryu's voice, telling him to stay put. A moment later, the sliding door to his room opened.

"Good afternoon, Kakashi. How are we feeling today?" A pleasant voice, like cool silk and a hot summer day, drifted through the silence. Soon after, it was followed by a small woman, barely five feet two inches, and a beauty at that. Her wide, lilac coloured eyes with their 

enerving lack of pupils were gentle and kind, and she smiled pleasantly. Kakashi was instantly soothed.

"A little hungry, a little achy, but other than that I'm fine. Thank you for asking, Hanako." He smiled softly, shifting to a more dignified and not-so-sprawled position.

"I think I can mend at least one of your problems, then. Ryu told me you needed a cook." The small woman walked over to his bed, reaching out to take his hand. "I'm glad you survived, dear."

Kakashi wasn't exactly sure if _he_ was glad he'd survived, but he felt reassured that someone still enjoyed his presence in the world. "Couldn't die without tasting your wonderful cooking again, Hanako." He winked at her, smiling his wide grin.

Hanako rolled her eyes. "Oh, shush." She flipped her long, thick braid over one slender shoulder and tied her hitai-ate on more firmly. "What would you like to eat?"

"I don't know. Surprise me." Kakashi was strangely comfortable around this woman - perhaps because he knew that no matter how much he hid, she would always see his face. Also because she didn't pose as a threat to his privacy. She was happily married with four more or less healthy children. She was safe.

"All right, then, but don't curse me out if it's not to your liking." She flashed one of her grins and walked out of the room and into the kitchen.

Soon after the scent of various spices flooded the air, making Kakashi's stomach grumble in protest. He was so hungry!

--

Half an hour later, Kakashi was happily shoveling down food under the supervision of his friend's wife. She had cooked enough food to last a couple of days - more than enough to feed Iruka whenever he decided to come home from work.

"So... Where's Iruka-sensei now?" Hanako tilted her head and looked at him. She was seated crosslegged at the foot end of the bed, not really taking up a lot of space. Kakashi had asked her whether or not she needed to go home to her kids, but she'd told him that Tomohiro was looking after them, and that she would stay and watch over him until Iruka came back. He couldn't help but feel like he was treated like a child, but somehow, he didn't mind. He wouldn't mind having Hanako as a mother.

"He's at work. Should be on his way home soon enough, though. You can leave if you want to, I'll be fine." Kakashi smiled his most winning, placating smile.

Hanako snorted and blew him off with a look. He sighed and concentrated on his food. Another attempt thwarted.

The front door thumped open then, and shut just as loudly. They could hear rumbling curses from the entry as someone shed their shoes.

Hanako was suddenly off the bed and standing by the door, a kunai in hand. Kakashi wasn't certain how she'd gotten from the bed to the door in such a swift motion, but he didn't care. He knew she was able to take care of things. He concentrated on shovelling down the rest of his food and readjusted his mask to hide his face. Having it down was okay around only Hanako, but around others, it was unacceptable.

"Who's there?" The tiny woman barked out sharply, easily slipping into a fighting stance.

A tiny, frail-looking woman appeared in the doorway, her sharp eyes staring back at Hanako. "Does your husband know you're hanging around in the bedrooms of strange men, Hanako-chan?," the old woman snarled, snorting at the kunai. "Please. My own son taught you to use that kunai. You wouldn't stand a chance." Otome had been a nurse for her entire life. She was one of the first residents of Konoha, and was as much an institution as the Academy was. "Good, you fed the brat. Okay, boy, time to strip."

Hanako blushed and balked, but put away her kunai. Then she bowed meekly and uttered a formal, highly appropriate greeting and stepped outside. She glanced apologetically at Kakashi.

Kakashi, on the other hand, was quite taken aback. "Uh... Uhm... Otome-san... Uhm... Strip?" He remembered the old woman from the hospital. Not pleasant at all. He didn't like the idea of being stripped around her.

The nurse took the plate away and pushed him back against the bed. "Yes, strip. Tsunade-sama sent me because your muscles are hurting. So Auntie Otome is here to make it all better." She opened her bag and took out a pair of hospital gloves and a jar of ointment. "Looks like you're living the high life, boy. What a whiner. Couldn't stand the hospital anymore, but apparently you can't survive without us either. Strip. Now."

Kakashi was too put out to do anything but obey. He slowly, gingerly removed his clothes, then lay back, watching the old nurse move around. He was quite wary, seeing as he didn't felt safe around her, but he could sense Ryu and Hanako just outside. If he focused, he could even hear their lowered voices as they were talking to each other.

Otome pulled on the gloves, then opened the jar and slathered a large glob of it on Kakashi's chest. It smelled horrible, antiseptic and medicinal, with a hearty dose of foul mixed in. She rubbed a portion between her hands and started to work, hands sliding up and down Kakashi's legs, squeezing the muscles and twisting them painfully.

Kakashi bit on his tongue to keep still and not cry out in pain, but he could already feel the tears gathering in Obito's eye. "Ghh..." he uttered softly, partially stifled. The old woman's hands were strong, and he could already feel how his aching muscles started to relax from the painful pressure.

"What kind of useless caretaker did they hire for you? I'm surprised you don't have bedsores! And this house - it's a disaster! Leaving you all alone, making poor Hanako-chan come cook for you when she has her own family to look after." Otome kept up a constant stream of chatter, mostly directed at Kakashi's caretaker, as she rubbed his feet, bending his legs and toes to stimulate the circulation.

Kakashi made a protesting noise, even as he winced in pain. "Iruka is quite adept! He just has a lot to do, is all. He's... He's busy with teaching in the daytime, and he has to grade papers and whatever-not-else, but when he's here, he takes the best care of me." It was probably not the wisest thing to say, but he was truly infuriated by the old woman's uncaring remarks. How could she say such things without even knowing the whole story?

"Iruka, huh? I don't know him. Must not be much of a nurse, but I suppose it can't be helped since you never behave yourself when you're in the hospital. All the young ones are afraid of you. But not old Otome, you don't scare me at all." She flipped him over easily, ignoring the grunt of pain when he landed on his face. "You would have been better off in the hospital, you know. If you would just stay there. But I suppose it's like talking to air, trying to talk some sense into that fluff-head of yours." She slapped another glob of ointment on his hip, kneading and rubbing the sore muscles of his hips. "At least he keeps you clean, mostly. Teaching, huh? Teaching what?"

"He's one of the best teachers in the Academy, and you know what? If you speak ill of him again, I WILL toss you out on your ass, no matter how wounded I might be, and no matter how hurt I might get." Kakashi's patience was wearing thin. This woman was getting on his nerves.

Through the thin paper walls, he could sense Ryu's calming presence, though the large man seemed a little wary now. He was ready to interfere at any moment. Kakashi would bet his skin that Hanako wasn't far away.

"Oh, the Academy. Well, that's different, then. He must be a good friend of yours to agree to this on top of his schedule." Otome worked her hands up Kakashi's spine to his neck, twisting his head back and forth. "So, is he single? I have a granddaughter, you know. She's not much to look at, but she's a good housekeeper, and he doesn't seem to be very gifted in that arena."

Kakashi practically bristled with anger. "Actually," he murmured, his voice quite cold, "he's not. Single, that is. And to top it off, no, he isn't even a very good friend of mine. However, I still love him dearly." He turned his head, shrugging the woman's fingers off. Sure, his muscles still ached, but the treatment had dulled it down. "And I'd very much like it if you kept to yourself and didn't meddle in other people's business. Also... If I ever see your face again," Kakashi's smile took on a decidedly cruel look, "I'll personally see to that a kunai is shoved through it. Get. Out. Now."

"You were such a docile baby," Otome replied, ignoring his threats. "Be still, now, I'm almost done." She rapped her hand across his hips, then resumed kneading his shoulders. "Remember, no clothes tonight. Sleep under two blankets. You'll sweat, but it will help the medicine sink in."

Growling, Kakashi went with it, even if he couldn't stand having her hands on his body. He wanted to scrub himself raw, just to get the feeling off. "Well, when you're done you can go and never come back, and I shall not mourn the loss."

Otome snorted as she rolled Kakashi onto his back and placed a soft cloth on his groin. "Keep that there. You don't want to get this stuff there. Very painful." She stripped off the gloves and shoved them into her bag, closing it with a snap. "I'll be back tomorrow. Tell your caretaker he needs to clean the house. It's dusty in here." And then she was gone, stomping out of the 

house as loudly as she'd arrived.

As soon as the old witch had left, Hanako entered. She made her way over to the bed and sighed softly. "Hey... You all right?"

Kakashi let out a deep sigh. "Yeah... At least my muscles don't ache anymore. Where's Iruka?"

Hanako tilted her head. "About to walk inside, actually." She smiled and patted his head. "Don't worry, I'll stay with you until he's here. And don't worry about what that old hag said. You're no trouble at all."

Smiling softly, Kakashi sighed. Hanako and Ryu always managed to reassure him.

--

Kakashi was going to kill him. Iruka had managed to talk Izumo into taking his evening shift in exchange for finishing out Izumo's early evening stint at the main gate. That's when he heard that Otome had been assigned to visit Kakashi at home. He'd begged and pleaded with Kotetsu to let him leave early, but the man had been impossible, reminding Iruka of how many times they'd had to cover for him already this week. "But... Otome-san! She's..."

"Yeah, she's an old dragon, that's for sure," Kotetsu grinned. "You sure you want to go home? Because after she gets through with him, he's going to be looking for you. And injured or not, he's gonna make your life miserable."

Iruka groaned, trying to ignore the cackling beside him for the next few hours. At the end of his shift, he ran back to the little house, stopping to double and triple check his bag. He had Kakashi's books. He hoped that would do as a peace offering.

"Kakashi-sensei," Iruka called quietly as he entered the house. Everything seemed quiet, and he didn't want to wake the man up if he didn't have to. Except Kakashi needed to eat. And... Iruka sniffed the air, his stomach rumbling when it realized it was smelling something good. Really good. Iruka stepped into the main room cautiously.

Kakashi looked up at him from his place on Iruka's futon. "Hello, Iruka-sensei. I've been demoted to the main room, Hanako is cleaning my bedroom." True enough, there were sounds of rustling and bustling from aforementioned room. "If you're hungry, there is plenty of food in the kitchen. Hanako got carried away." He smiled sweetly up at the chuunin, but, at any sign of weakness, he would pounce and attack.

"Errrrr, wuh?"

"Iruka... Do I have a reason to be worried about you?" Kakashi shifted his weight to lean on one elbow, cocking his head to look up at the chuunin. The bustling in the nextdoor room stopped, and soon, a tiny woman appeared in the doorway. "Shut up and let him relax, Kakashi." She walked over to Iruka and took him by the elbow. "Come on, Iruka-sensei. Let's get you fed, and I'll clean the house meanwhile. Don't mind the old grouch on the futon." Hanako smiled at Kakashi's indignant response, merely leading Iruka into the kitchen.

"Hanako-san. Why... why are you here?" Iruka couldn't quite wrap his mind around what was going on in the house tonight. Instead of a snarling Kakashi and an old dragon of a nurse, he'd 

found an almost cheerful Kakashi and a tiny dynamo housekeeper, who just happened to be an important member of the Hyuuga family _and_ the mother of three children at the Academy, one of which was in his class. "What? Hanako-san, really, no! I insist! You can't be doing this!" Then his stomach rumbled again.

Hanako cocked an eyebrow and poked Iruka's stomach. "Your stomach says otherwise, as does the set of your shoulders. You're exhausted. Let me help. No protests." She sat him down at the table, served him food and went back to her cleaning.

"But-!" Iruka sighed and stared at his plate. Okay, there were worse things than being served dinner as soon as you walked in the door while someone else cleaned the house and took care of Kakashi. He would have to make it up to her, though.

"And don't even think of making it up to me! This is a favour for a friend from a friend, so shut up and eat your dinner like a good kid!" Hanako called from the bedroom. She soon finished with the cleaning and changing of sheets and carried Kakashi back inside.

"Okay... So now that your caretaker is back, I'm going to leave. I'll come help out whenever it's needed, okay?" She smiled, stroking Kakashi's hair out of his face. He snuggled under the covers and smiled back at her. "Okay. Night, Hanako."

"Good night, Kakashi." She smiled and walked back into the kitchen, closing the door behind herself. "Iruka-sensei. I just wanted to tell you that everything should be fine. I don't have much to do, so I thought I'd stop by occasionally and lend you a hand." She smiled gently at him. "And... About Kakashi. If you were the one who arranged for a masseuse for him, you shouldn't tell him. He'll kill you. Good night."

The tiny Hyuuga grinned cheekily and turned, leaving Iruka to his own devices.

--

Iruka wasn't a coward, normally. But he knew it was cowardice that kept him in the kitchen far longer than it took to clean the few dishes left in the sink. So Otome had come after all, and of course Kakashi wouldn't be happy about it. He'd heard the nurses gossiping, he knew Otome and Kakashi had butted heads more than a few times, at least once quite literally. He dragged himself up from the table and crept back to the main room, hoping Kakashi was already asleep.

There was a lantern on Kakashi's bedside table, spreading a cheerful glow across the small room. Iruka could smell the ointment in the room, his nose wrinkling at the memory. "Kakashi-sensei?" he whispered from the doorway. He would need to shut off the lantern, but that would mean getting within striking distance.

A loud snore came from the bed, and Kakashi rolled over, getting himself even more tangled in the sheets. His mask was off, leaving his beautiful face visible to the world, and to Iruka's eyes. He was almost impossible to recognise.

Wonderful. Now Iruka was really stuck. He had to turn that light off, but if he did, Kakashi would know he'd been in the room. He could try and find one of Kakashi's masks, but again, wouldn't Kakashi realize he hadn't worn a mask to bed? Or, maybe not? If Kakashi had been that tired that he hadn't put on his mask... And where was it, anyway? Kakashi had been 

wearing one when Iruka got home earlier, hadn't he? Because Iruka was positive he would have remembered seeing a face like that before. Not the face of a killer, not with lips like that. Iruka's hand twitched, nearly reaching out to touch the smooth, pink skin.

Whirling around, Iruka blew out the lantern and left the room, shutting the door behind him. He stood there for a moment, wondering what to do next. He should have put Kakashi's mask on him. It was too late now. He went out onto the porch and shut that door as well. If confronted about it tomorrow, he would lie and lie and lie again. And now he was going to take a bath, and NOT think about the face he'd seen.

--

Once again. I hope you enjoyed. This is sort of a thank you posting for everyone who has reviewed and favorited so far. I'm very honored and happy and in general pleased. Yes.

This story, I find it important to say, was a collab between Nobiki and I. RL snatched her away, and I'm stuck finishing this baby on my own. Hopefully it won't be too difficult. She was very nice, helping me bring this plotbunny to life. So this chapter is in honor of Nobiki - Queen of Awesome

You should totally check her fics out. She's made of win.


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** In my dreams. (Though the Uzuki clan minus one uncle belongs to moi, and Otome belongs to Nobiki. Oh, and Hyuuga Hanako is ours, too)

**Warnings:** Overly much usage of the f-word?

--

**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 8**

--

When the first sunrays tickled Kakashi's face Saturday morning, he burrowed further under the blankets. They were comfortable and warm and smelled... funny. Ah, well. They were snuggly comfort and he wanted to stay there forever. Sleep swept over him in waves as he dozed peacefully, without pain for the first time in a very long while. "Mmm... G'morning, Mr. Ukki," he mumbled, then turned over to sleep some more. When Iruka came in to check on him, Kakashi had the blankets firmly yanked over his own head, his bare feet peeking out, toes wriggling.

"I'm leaving, Kakashi-sensei. I'll be back this afternoon." He kept his face carefully averted, busily opening the door to let more light in. "If I leave food out for you, will you eat it? It would be a shame to waste Hanako-san's food."

"Mmmmhhh... Mhm... I'll definitely eat it. Hanako would kill me if I didn't." Kakashi's voice was pleasantly slurred and husky from sleep. It was easy for Iruka to imagine that that would be how he sounded when he had spent the entire night having sex.

Iruka ground his teeth together. Where did _that_ come from? "Okay, I'll... uh, go bring it in. And set it on the table for you." Put your mask on, Iruka thought desperately. Otherwise you're going to look at me, and then you're going to kill me.

Kakashi scratched a hand through his hair and adjusted his tall body to lean up against the pillows. He grabbed a clean mask that Hanako had left out and adjusted it so his face was covered. He then sat back and waited for Iruka to come back with his food.

"You look better today," Iruka said as he came back, sliding the tray onto the crowded table. He smiled because Kakashi looked more like himself now. "Do you need anything else?"

Kakashi smiled slightly. "No, I don't. Just... Don't let Otome come here again? I hate her."

"Oh. That." Iruka sat down on the end of the bed gingerly, still tense. Kakashi wasn't trying to kill him. "The thing is, I think she's supposed to come every day. To help your muscles. And, you know, that'll get you through rehab that much faster."

"Fuck no! I'm moving out! I'd much rather flog myself and then skin myself with a blunt spoon!"

"Look, you were in pain. Now, you're not, right?" Iruka didn't wait for the answer, it was pretty obvious Kakashi felt better today. "You're still too weak to start rehab, but your muscles aren't used to staying in bed all the time, waiting for your bones to heal. This is the best 

option. And Otome-san is the best choice. This was Godaime's decision."

"I don't give a shit if Sandaime-sama was the one who decided it, I'm not letting that filthy old bitch get close to me ever again! You got that?" Kakashi was fuming, on the verge of tears. "I had to protect you yesterday, your honour and all that, or she would've attempted to marry you off to her granddaughter! And so I sort of told her you were seeing someone..."

Iruka shook his head, his mind trying to comprehend how this was relevant. "What? Who cares what she said about me? Just let her help you get better! You said you don't like it here, you said you don't like me here. So Tsunade-sama sent you someone who can really help you. What is the problem?"

"The problem is that you're here, and you're so fucking kind and gentle and I fucking care about you, you fucking shit! I hate you, but I... When I see you, my heart just jumps and I can't stop it so shut the fuck up and get out so I can leave!" Kakashi turned away from him and burrowed under the covers. He didn't want to see the disgust on Iruka's face.

"If you're not even going to be serious about this, I don't know what more I can say. You're not allowed to leave. You're stuck with me, like it or not, and saying a bunch of weird crap because you're trying to get your own way isn't going to make one bit of difference." Iruka stood up, his voice firm. "I have to get going. I'll be back this afternoon. If you're not here, I will find you and drag you back here with ropes if I have to. You can spout all the bullshit you want, but it won't make any difference. I deal with crying, bribes and threats every single day." Iruka shook his head and left the room. Imagine, Kakashi saying those things to him. Nobody said those things to him, not anymore. And when they had, they didn't mean it.

"You always run away, you fucking dipshit! I'm in love with you, so fucking deal with it!" Kakashi was fuming with rage. Otome could come and he'd definitely kill her. He'd even kick Ryu in the nuts if he thought that would get him somewhere.

--

It had taken much longer than expected to get the Academy clean. While Moegi and Udon realized the futility of complaining early on, Konohamaru had simply refused to do the work. Iruka lost his temper, already hanging by a thread when he arrived that morning, and yelled at the boy for nearly ten minutes. Then he'd walked out, stomping the halls to calm down because while yelling worked sometimes, he could tell he'd gone too far when the boy's mouth fell open and tears welled up in his dark eyes. He couldn't handle another week like this one, though, so he stomped back into the room and pretended he wasn't surprised to find all three children scrubbing the windows. "I'm going to say this once," he said quietly, calmly and all the three heads looked at him. "We will not go through another week like this again. I have never had to resort to corporal punishment before. If you ever sneak out of class again, I will make an exception for you." He nodded when their faces paled and they nodded back. "Good. Now then, let's have a quiz while we work, okay?" He smiled at the groans even as Konohamaru made room for him at the window, a hint of a smile on the boy's face because he'd gotten Iruka to help them after all.

--

Iruka groaned when he came in the door late that afternoon. He'd been on worse missions, longer missions, where people died and he'd honestly never expected to see Konoha again. But this was different - he felt numb and raw at the same time, and he dearly hoped Kakashi 

was asleep. He was tired and dirty and sore. He needed to finish cleaning the house; Hanako had made a good start, but Iruka noticed there was dust in the entry. He needed to do the laundry. It was sunny today, but there was a chill in the air, which meant their mild weather would probably turn cold soon. The futon needed to be hung up, and Kakashi's mattress aired out as well. And the wood - Iruka nearly smacked himself when he thought of all the time he'd spent training this past week while the wood pile dwindled. He leaned his head against the wall, lips pressed together to keep another groan in. Shopping - not just groceries, but also kerosene for the heater and the lanterns. And New Year's was coming up - they would probably still be here. The house and yard would need to be cleaned, top to bottom, and... He shook his head with a sheepish grin. Worrying over a festival two weeks away when he had a thousand other worries standing in front of him. Truly pathetic.

There was a scuffle and a thump to the side of him, added in with shouts of "hey, stop it!" and "you started it!" before two identical boys at about sixteen appeared. "Hello, Iruka-sensei! Ryu-nii told us to stop by and help you out!" They spoke simultaneously, a slightly disturbing fact, then moved over to him. "Hey, you don't look so good. Take a bath and rest up, huh?" While the twin spoke, wood was already chopping itself and a broom was floating in to sweep the floors. "I've got it covered!" The other twin grinned, arms folded and eyes glowing white.

"More Uzukis?" Iruka murmured, dropping his satchel in the main room. He was so tired suddenly, and listening to the two boys in stereo was quickly pushing him over the edge. He slid to the ground, leaning against the table. "I think I'm going insane. Where's Kakashi-sensei?"

Tatsuki bounced into the mainroom, followed by buckets of water and soap, along with mops and feather dusters and whatever else he could find of cleaning materials. "He's asleep in the bedroom, Iruka-sensei. How are you feeling? Are you hungry?"

"Fine, thanks. Who are you?" The tatami mats were gone, and the wood floor was a little uncomfortable, but Iruka wasn't moving until he knew what was going on. More or less.

"Oh! I'm so terribly sorry! Uzuki Tatsuki, at your service. The buffoon out there keeps saying he's my twin brother, but I don't believe him. His name is Tetsuya." He swept a low bow and smiled up at him with eyes that shone a bright white and twinkled with mirth. The mops had started washing the floors and the walls were being scrubbed as if the equipment moved on its own accord.

Iruka gave up. Whoever thought of the idea of twins should be drowned. Whoever thought of the idea of naming twins with the same letters should be set on fire, then drowned. But everything was being taken care of, as far as he could see. Whatever wasn't, he would deal with it later. "I'm going to take a bath," he announced. Maybe he would drown. Probably not - even if he managed to fall asleep, if Uzukis were around, they would know.

Tatsuki grinned cheerfully. "Okay! We'll clean the house! Hanako-nee has forbidden us to cook after we burnt down her kitchen, so she'll be by to cook some more later! Have fun in the bath and don't drown!"

He could only gurgle in response. These two dynamos managed to burn down a kitchen? Even Naruto hadn't done that. Iruka tried to imagine Naruto with a twin. Or Konohamaru. Maybe he could stay in the bath for the rest of the day? Until they were all gone and he could creep 

into his futon and sleep? Except, he would have to deal with Kakashi sometime today. He didn't like arguing with the man, he shouldn't be arguing with a sick person at all. But Kakashi had managed to find the one thing Iruka couldn't just laugh away. He kicked the heater below the tub to start it up - the water was warm, but Iruka wanted it hotter. Then he slipped back into the kitchen to boil water for tea.

As Iruka sat and drank his tea, he could see Tatsuki and Tetsuya walking back and forth along the porch as pieces of furniture and cleaning supplies floated back and forth. They were talking quietly to each other as they worked, their faces somber and serious, as if the matter they were discussing was of high importance to them. At more than one time, the names "Riku" and "Mitsuko" were mentioned, but anything else escaped Iruka's attention. Iruka turned his attention away, not wanting to intrude on a personal family matter. Finally, he gave up and went into the bathroom, stripping off his clothes and sinking down onto the stool with another groan.

Tatsuki and Tetsuya finished their work and left the clothes to dry. They woke Kakashi up and handed him a plate of left over food before they vanished from the house, going off to do whatever it was they did on their spare time.

Kakashi ate in silence, wondering why Iruka wasn't there.

--

Iruka stayed in the bath until he felt his skin pruning. He felt like mushed-up eggplant, and all he wanted to do was curl up in the sun and sleep. But the sun would be gone soon, so he dragged himself up out of the water and snagged a towel to dry off. It was quiet, so either the twins had left or they were busy burning down some other part of the house. Iruka couldn't really care, but he did hope they had left him something to wear. His uniform was wrinkled, dirty, smelly and he would rather walk around in a towel than put it back on. Except, Hanako-san was supposed to stop by. He should have stopped by his place to get his yukata.

Padding softly down the porch, Iruka couldn't feel any grit or dust under his feet. However manic they were, the twins were diligent in their work. He could barely recognize the place, everything clean and organized. Kakashi's door was still shut, so Iruka walked past it to the trunk in the corner. He kept his spare clothes there, while Kakashi's were stored in a chest in the bedroom. Except, it was empty. Iruka could have sworn he'd had a pair of pants left. No, he didn't - he wore those today. He stepped onto the porch and sighed when he saw the lines of clothes in the yard, billowing gently with the breeze. It would be another hour at least before they were dry. Well, he could always just sit there and wait. At least the sun would dry his hair faster.

A low whistle was heard. "They actually cleaned up pretty nicely. Never do that at home, though." Hanako walked into view. She was carrying a basket of fresh vegetables and herbs, along with various meats. "Hello, Iruka-sensei."

"Um." Iruka flushed red, aware he'd been caught sitting on the porch in a towel. He wasn't even sitting properly, but if he struggled to his feet, the towel would fall completely. He took a deep breath and smiled. "Good afternoon, Hanako-san."

Hanako chuckled, waving her arm. "Just call me Hanako. And don't mind the towel, just sit. I'll go into the kitchen now, so you can compose yourself. Okay?"

"Okay." Iruka kept smiling. It was the only thing he could do.

Hanako patted his head gently and walked inside, feeling sorry for the man, so clearly exhausted. She put the vegetables, spices and meats away, then looked around at the kitchen, hands at her hips. "Hmm... What to cook? I know!" She sang softly to herself as she cooked. She included the meals Ryu had informed her both men liked, along with the favourites and so on and so forth. As she finished each dish, she made certain to label boxes to put them in when they'd eaten. "Iruka-sensei? You can come in, now."

--

Kakashi sat quietly, listening for any sign of Iruka. He missed him, but at the same time, he didn't want to see him. Why did it have to be so damned difficult? Why did _Iruka_ have to be so damned difficult? He'd never understand him. Ah, well. Nothing to be done about that.

"Kakashi-sensei?" Iruka stood on the porch by the door of Kakashi's room. It was getting dark now, and he didn't want Kakashi to miss dinner. "Hanako-san is here. The food is ready. Are you awake?"

"Yes," came the sulky reply. "Go away. I don't want to talk to you."

Iruka knelt down by the door, just out of sight. He had been annoyed, yes, and hurt, because of what Kakashi had said to him. And perhaps he hadn't been exactly understanding with Kakashi that morning. "I'm sorry to hear that," he replied finally. "Because I wanted to talk to you."

Kakashi sighed. "Why?" He sounded positively devastated. He didn't want to be humiliated any further.

"To apologize. I was... wrong to yell at you this morning. I was wrong not to listen to you. If you don't want Otome-san to come back, I'll make Godaime listen and send someone else. Or I'll find another way to help you get better. I just... really want you to be healthy. To get better. So I..." Iruka closed his eyes and clenched his fists. This was probably more than Kakashi wanted to hear, but it was the truth as Iruka saw it. "So I won't worry about you so much."

Kakashi's heart practically leapt into his throat and he just stared out into the air for a moment, dumbfounded. "You... You worry about me?" The inquiry was soft, disbelieving.

"I know, it's ridiculous. You've been a jonin longer than I've been a shinobi. The very idea is disrespectful. But you take on so much, and you keep going out, even when you're injured. I know, everyone is doing more, and we've all been through a lot, and the village is still a wreck from..." Iruka broke up his frantic explanation, sighing. "I do worry, Kakashi-sensei. I... do worry."

Sitting up to see Iruka better, Kakashi frowned. "Why would I be mad at you for worrying? I've wanted you to notice me for a long time... Oh, fuck. I'm sorry, that wasn't meant to come out." Kakashi slapped his own forehead. He was _such_ an idiot.

"I can't imagine anyone _not_ noticing you, Kakashi-sensei. You kind of stick out, even in Konoha. And it's not like this is the first time we've met." Iruka sat back on his heels, relaxing. 

"It's not even the first time we've fought." Something niggled in the back of Iruka's head, that perhaps Kakashi meant something more, but he dismissed it. Either he misunderstood Kakashi, or Kakashi was teasing him again.

"Oh, fuck off, Iruka! You're so damned dense!" Kakashi crossed his arms and actually pouted. He was kind of happy Hanako couldn't read minds. Ryu was probably laughing at him right now.

"What?" Iruka was on his feet, eyes flashing now. What the hell? He'd been apologizing, and now Kakashi was mad again? At _him_? "What is your problem?" Iruka stomped into the bedroom, not stopping until he was by Kakashi's side, staring down at the man in the bed. "I was apologizing! And now you're angry at me? What the fuck did I do now? Yeah, so what if I worry about you? That's no reason to scream at me." He could barely see Kakashi in the dark room, but the moon was already up, lending a eerie glow to the tense situation.

Kakashi was, to be quite honest, a little startled at the man's outburst. However, he wasn't going to let that kill his fighting spirit. "I'm only mad because you're dense and you won't take a fucking hint. Think for a second, Iruka, haven't I told you something recently? And don't you just stomp off whenever I mention it? Because you're quite fucking adept at running away!"

"I don't even know what you're talking about!" Iruka yelled back, hands waving around wildly. The towel around his shoulders slipped to the floor, forgotten. "The only times I remember walking away, not running, but walking, are when you start teasing me. I can take a lot from you, but that I won't stand for!"

"What the _fuck_?!" Kakashi was more or less shrieking, now. He was nearly standing up in bed, quite angry with Iruka. "Teasing?! You think I'm _teasing_?! I tell you I'm in fucking love with you and you say I'm teasing?! Fuck you and your low self esteem!"

"Stop saying that!" Iruka was shaking, his voice shrill. "I don't want to hear it! Nobody means it! Nobody! I've heard it, I've heard it all before!" His voice changed, taking on the timbre of an older, larger man as the memories flooded his mind. "You're so special, Iruka-kun. I love you, Iruka-kun. I'll always protect you. Show me how much you love me." Iruka started to pace, arms still waving wildly, unconcerned when the towel around his hips slid down to the floor. "And he didn't mean it! Never meant it! Even after I protected him!" He stopped suddenly, reeling when he realized what he'd said, how much he'd revealed. "Don't say it," he whispered, reaching out blindly to steady himself against Kakashi's shoulder with one hand, the other clapped over his mouth. He was going to be sick. He had to get away.

Kakashi froze when he realized what Iruka was saying. "I... would never... Iruka." His hand covered Iruka's because he knew, he fucking _knew_ Iruka was going to bolt. He tried to think up a good response, but it was difficult. His mind was reeling at the information, utterly disgusted with the way Iruka had been treated. Unable to come up with anything, he just stared in shock.

In one move, Iruka pulled away, picked up his towel, and left the room, bare feet slapping against the porch. He barely noticed Hanako as he passed on his way to the bathroom, pulling on his dirty uniform. He didn't bother with the leg wraps or a hair tie. It was horribly rude of him, he knew, to just leave Hanako like that. She had her own family to take care of, but he 

couldn't stay there. He stuffed the hitai-ate in his pocket and went to find his vest and his shoes.

"My, my. Idiots." Hanako shook her head in fond disapproval and halted Kakashi as he tried to run after him. "Calm down, Kakashi. He needs to think." She tugged the wildly flailing and protesting man back towards the bed, thumped him down on it and tucked him in, well versed in the world of tantrums. "_You_ need to rest." With that, she sat down on the foot end of the bed, watching him.

"You know," Kakahi said, a few minutes later. "I kind of hate the way he always runs out on me."

Hanako turned her head away, hiding a smile. Men were idiots. Men in love were particularly desperate idiots. She was going to have to lead this idiot around by the nose for a while. Eventually he would get it."Kakashi, in the past, how much time have you and Iruka-sensei spent together?"

"Uh... Very little. Because... Well... I've been gone a lot, and... We haven't really associated with each other..." He looked down at his bedspread and sighed. "Why?"

"I'll get to that. Have you ever talked about anything not directly related to a mission or your students?"

"Uhm, no?" Kakashi sighed, looking hopeless. "Not until tonight, no."

Hanako nodded. "So, what would you have done if say, six months after you met Iruka, he suddenly confronted you and told you he was in love. With you."

Kakashi's eyes widened. "Uh... I'd... Freak out. But... Hanako! He's always stressing, and always... He's just." Kakashi sighed, giving up. He slumped back into the bed and gave her a glum look.

"Oh, don't look like that!" Hanako laughed and patted his leg. "It's not hopeless! I'm just saying, maybe you need to give him some time to trust that you really do feel the way you say you do." She held up her hand to stall the protest on Kakashi's lips. "AND to show it. Snarling at him every time he tries to help, and yelling at him when he won't listen." She chuckled again. "If Ryu had treated me like that I would have punched him out. And then married someone else."

Feeling quite ashamed of himself, Kakashi looked down. "Ryu can read thoughts, and he isn't socially awkward."

"Ryu is still a man, and a man in love is prone to doing and saying the most appallingly stupid things. Like yelling at someone when they're trying to apologize. And he was so cute doing it, too. Kneeling there on the porch, in nothing but a towel..." She winked at Kakashi, knowing he had been unable to see any of that.

Kakashi squawked. "What? How did I miss that?" Suddenly, he realised that he was on the verge of tears. "Oh, Hanako... I'm such an idiot. Kill me, now, before I die of shame!"

"I think that would be counter-productive, considering how much effort we've been going through to keep you alive. Yes, you're an idiot." She petted his leg through the blanket, just like she'd done with Sadako earlier that day. "And Iruka's an idiot as well. Resolve to do better, and hopefully Iruka will do the same." She stood up and stretched, cracking her neck. "There is one bright spot in all of this, you know."

Nearly pouting, but not quite, Kakashi looked up at her. "And that is?"

Hanako shook her head. Still an idiot. "Do you really think he would be flipping out like this if he was completely ambivalent towards you?"

Stunned. That was the only word Kakashi could think of, that could eloquently describe the way he felt. His heart was swelling and beating rapidly, and he felt as if he would be sucked into the ground or carried up to the clouds. He smiled shakily and settled back on the bed. "I suppose not."

--

Chapter eight done. I said I was going to update after I had finished editing chapter twenty, but... GAH I COULDN'T HELP IT!

So... Now I won't update until I've edited chapter twenty. Yep. Yosh. -goes to do so-

OH! And please review!


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **I think you got it by now.

**Warnings:** Same as always. I guess, though, if you've gotten this far, maybe you're not really that much against yaoi, hm?

**To clear up a few misunderstandings: REVIEW REPLIES AT THE BOTTOM. FROM NOW ON, PLEASE LEAVE A RETURN E-MAIL ADDRESS IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR SOMETHING TO DISCUSS WITH ME. THANK YOU. IF YOU CAN'T LEAVE A REPLY ADDRESS, PLEASE, WONDER IN SILENCE. THANKS AGAIN.**

--

**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 9**

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Iruka left the house once he heard Hanako and Kakashi talking. She would keep Kakashi there, so he wouldn't need to worry about the man trying to follow him. He headed across the forest, barely noticing his surroundings. He needed to run, to fight, something that would engage all of his attention and drown out the memories. He cut across the river and kept going until he reached a gate. Nobody was there, and there wasn't a notice posted - he'd been afraid there might be another training session already in progress. He cleared the fence in one leap and landed on the path, staring at the large expanse of black forest ahead. The Forest of Death, they liked to call it. It wasn't large, but between the man-eating plants and man-eating animals, he would have to stay alert. He sent out a flare of chakra as a warning - just in case someone else was already there, working out their own frustrations.

"I wouldn't advise going in there right now. The spiritual activity is startling." A quiet, melodious voice drifted down from one tall tree, surprising Iruka.

"I'm not interested in ghosts," he replied. "Just giant caterpillars and... other stuff." He didn't want to have to explain what he was doing, but if the man was a posted guard, he would have to. Or find somewhere else.

"Tell you what." A tall man jumped from the tree, towering well over a foot above Iruka. "You take out your frustrations on me. I don't want to have to explain why you ended up in the psychward. Because that's what will happen if you go in there."

Iruka stared up at the man, mentally groaning when he saw a familiar face. Except it wasn't, not quite. And then he felt a sudden flood of irritation because these people were everywhere. "Just how many Uzuki are there in Konoha?" he demanded, shaking his head. "And why are you all suddenly coming out of the trees at me?"

The man laughed heartily, shaking his head. "We're not _all_ coming out of the trees." He stepped a little closer, face growing serious. "The Uzuki clan is quite an established noble family in this village. However..." He looked off to the side, frowning slightly. "We're... Hidden in the darkest corners." He turned to Iruka again, a faint smile curling over his full lips. "I am Uzuki Tomohiro, Iruka-sensei. The man I resemble so closely is Uzuki Ryu, my twin." Walking a little closer again, Tomohiro put a hand on Iruka's shoulder. "We are seven brothers. We had one uncle who never got any children, and we have a pair of grandparents. On top of that, Ryu has four daughters and Kenichi has three children. Two boys and a girl. He's working on his fourth already." Cocking an eyebrow, he stepped back. "We're multiplying. Now. If you don't mind... Why don't you spar against me? I'm sure you could vent perfectly well on that." Tomohiro fixed Iruka with a stern look, awaiting his reply.

"More twins," Iruka muttered, wondering how he even could consider sparring with someone who couldn't just read his body, but his mind as well. Planning his next move would be out. Traps would be out. Hiding would be impossible. It would definitely be a challenge. "I accept. Where?"

"Follow me." Tomohiro started walking away, leading him to a secluded training ground surrounded by woods and a lake. He stood straight in the middle of the field and looked at Iruka. "Flinging your kunai will be useless. I'd only stop them. Also, I have a tip. Go with your instincts. I can't read those."

Iruka rubbed his scar, then pushed his hair back out of his face. "Yeah, thanks. I'd already figured that part out," he grinned back. "Nothing like watching wood chop itself and a mop run rampant around a house to make me realize actually thinking about my moves might not work."

Tomohiro cocked an eyebrow and chuckled. "Tatsuki and Tetsuya? My condolences. They're quite a handful." He pulled his long, black hair back into a ponytail and readied himself, hands open and palms out, crouching slightly lower to the ground. His eyes glowed faintly with a film of white, watching Iruka, seeing into his mind.

Focus, Iruka thought. Focus on the hitai-ate. He let his mind drift, slowly following the swirl across the man's forehead, over and over until he felt his mind begin to drift. He leapt without thought, aiming for the hitai-ate with a single punch. He whirled in the air to end up with a kick instead of a punch, then flipped back to the ground.

Tomohiro let him vent his frustrations until he was exhausted, sending out halfassed punches and kicks, dodging blows and blocking them with his ability. He let Iruka go on until the chuunin lay panting on the ground, slick with sweat, hair stuck to his face and neck.

"Are you feeling any better now?" The large man sat down next to Iruka, cocking his head to the side.

"Define better," Iruka groaned back, dragging himself up to his feet. He knew the man had gone ridiculously easy on him, but Iruka had still managed to land against a tree trunk several times. And a few rocks. And a scorpion, judging by the stinging in his hand. "I think I'm calm enough now I can go home without pulling all of my hair out. Or strangling him. Or drowning myself in a tub."

"I should probably head home to my wife... We haven't been married long, and I want it to last this time." Calmly, Tomohiro stood and brushed himself off. "I'm glad you've calmed down."

"This time?" Iruka blurted out, surprised, because the implication was divorce, not death. It wasn't unheard of in Konoha, just rare. He flushed instantly, berating himself for his curiosity and outburst. "Please forgive me, Uzuki-san," he said with a bow. "You've been more than kind. Have a good night."

Tomohiro put a hand on his shoulder. "This is my sixth wife, and yes, I divorced them all. They cheated with my younger brother, Keisuke."

Iruka nearly choked, trying to keep his sudden exclamation of 'all of them?' to himself, at least audibly. Instead, he stared up at Tomohiro in shock. "Then why?" He stopped, because it wasn't any of his business, but Tomohiro looked and acted completely normal. Why would he keep getting married, knowing how it was likely to turn out?

"Because, if I try again, things may turn out differently. Past mistakes shouldn't decide your future, Iruka-sensei." Tomohiro knew he had gotten his point across to the chuunin, and smiled slightly. Then, he turned around and walked away, heading towards his own home.

He should get back, but Iruka's mind was still unsettled. He found a tree and chose the highest fork he could, staring sightlessly over the expanse of forest and water. In all honesty, he'd had only one relationship. The others, they hadn't meant anything, and Iruka could barely remember their faces, much less their names. Even when they'd claimed affection, or at least something more than mere lust, Iruka hadn't believed them, yet he'd always felt some measure of vindication when they left, as if the very act of leaving proved he'd been right not to believe them in the first place. But it always hurt, too, because he'd always hoped one day he would find someone he could believe. He'd believed and trusted Mizuki, not as a lover, but as a friend, and that had ended badly as well. Yet he wasn't afraid to make new friends. Why was that?

Did he feel something for Kakashi? Something more than just attraction, because Iruka couldn't deny he was attracted. Kakashi claimed he loved Iruka. Could Iruka believe him? Iruka shifted on his perch, delving into himself. Why did he worry about Kakashi? He barely knew him. He didn't worry about Anko, or Izumo, not like this. He barely knew Kakashi, felt like he knew less of Kakashi now than he had a week ago. Kakashi lied. When he was late, he made up patently ridiculous excuses for it yet never changed. Naruto had told Iruka one story after another until Iruka had laughed at the man's audacity. Could he trust Kakashi?

He stood up and began his run home. He owed Kakashi an apology, and Hanako about seven of them. And then he would decide, if he could bear to be right again.

--

He landed in the small garden, sighing. All of the laundry had been brought in - one more 

thing he owed to Hanako and her family. He could see a light burning in Kakashi's bedroom, shining out into the garden through the open door. They wouldn't be able to leave it open much longer. He tromped across the yard and stood directly in front of Kakashi's door, leaning against the porch. He didn't dare come any closer - he was covered in mud and plants and only a little bit of blood, all of it his. The twins had spent too much time cleaning for Iruka to ruin it mere hours later.

"Kakashi-sensei, I'm back." He could see the man clearly, sitting up in bed, propped up by pillows.

"Welcome home, then." Kakashi's voice was calm and painfully dull. He seemed tired, as if he'd been keeping himself awake.

Iruka groaned because Kakashi sounded so tired, and where had he been? Getting the shit kicked out of him in the woods for fun. "You're tired. Please sleep. I... we can talk in the morning." Iruka leaned against the porch, trying to wipe the blood on his cheek off. A cut was dripping again, and mixed with the sweat from his run it had begun to sting. He closed his eyes and nodded to himself. He could do this. "I promise I'll listen. I won't run away."

Kakashi looked at him, head tilting to one side. "We can talk now. I waited up for you."

"I need to rinse off and change. I think I landed on every rock and tree root in Field 12. And a scorpion. Can you wait a little longer, then? I'll try to finish quickly."

"Yeah. I can wait. Come in here so I can see you when you're done?" Kakashi's visible eye was drooping, and he struggled not to fall asleep. Usually, it wouldn't have been a problem, but with his body in the state it was in, it was nearly as difficult as climbing a straight wall of rock without using chakra.

Iruka nodded, pushing away from the porch with a groan. "Fine, then. I'll try not to take too long." He really wanted another bath, but that would have to wait.

Kakashi dipped his head, but didn't lift it again, finally able to fall asleep, now that he knew Iruka was safe and back in the house.

--

Iruka stepped back into the main room only fifteen minutes later. He hadn't even stopped to make tea, but he did remember to spread ointment across several cuts and gulp down a tablet to counteract the sting from the scorpion. Peeking around the door to Kakakshi's room, Iruka sighed again. He was a nervous wreck over this, thinking about what he needed to say, what he shouldn't say, and what Kakashi was going to say. But Kakashi was asleep. Iruka decided to find his pajamas so he wouldn't end up in the man's bedroom in just a towel. Again.

He dried his hair carefully, then tossed the damp towel on the battered chest. It already had a few water stains, one or two more wouldn't hurt. Iruka sat on the floor, watching Kakashi's chest for a few minutes, trying to slow his heartbeat down a little. He would have to go in there to shut off the lantern, so he might as well go now. He stood up, stifling another groan, and took the few steps to the bed. He couldn't forget the last time he'd done this, and he nearly wished Kakashi had forgotten his mask again. He knelt down, then reached out his hand, slowly, cautiously, grasping one thin arm. "Kakashi-sensei?"

A dark eye flew open and Kakashi let out a startled gasp. "Iruka-sensei!" He let out a deep breath and relaxed. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry. You were sleeping. I didn't know if you wanted me to wake you up or not." He leaned back onto his heels, his head almost level with Kakashi's. "It took a little longer to change than I expected."

"Oh, okay." Kakashi yawned widely and shifted around to make room for Iruka. "Sit down?" He was unwilling to scare the pretty chuunin away, but he felt that their conversation might be long. It was best for the both of them to be seated. That way, it would take extra effort and time on Iruka's part to bolt, which would give Kakashi time enough to latch on, should he decide to do so.

Iruka's eyes widened, and he considered declining the offer. "Um, my hair is still damp. Are you sure?"

Kakashi snorted. "I told you to, didn't I? I don't say things I don't mean."

"Oh? So you really did get attacked by a gang of squirrels?" Iruka stood up and slid onto the bed, trying not to jostle Kakashi, or the blankets.

Sighing, Kakashi debated telling Iruka. Sure, he knew that he liked Iruka, knew that he might even trust him... But was that enough? Was that enough to tell him? Kakashi thought so, and took a deep breath, preparing for the tale. "That... No. I wasn't. But I... When I say things like that, it's in honor of my teammate, Uchiha Obito." He smiled sadly, looking at Iruka. "When we were supposed to meet, the team, I mean, he was always late. Because of some act of kindness or other. It pissed me off."

It was difficult, to talk about him. To talk about them, his team. "They're all dead, now, the ones I cared about. When Obito died, he changed my view of the rules completely. He made me understand the value of teamwork, the value of kind acts toward others." A dry chuckle, slightly choked, escaped his throat. "I... I'm always late because I spend my mornings at the Memorial, honoring my sensei and Obito."

"So that's why you always want to go to the Memorial." Iruka was silent for a moment, wondering if dwelling on the past so much was healthy. "If you want to honor your comrades, Kakashi-sensei, how exactly is getting killed on a mission doing that? Especially one where it wasn't completely necessary for you to do it? I've seen some of the reports, they're not all A or S rank."

"I don't know. I guess it's the part Obito left behind. He was so passionate, always went full out." Kakashi lowered his eyes to look at his own interlocked hands. "Naruto reminds me a lot of him. So emotional, so passionate. So incredibly strong."

"Yeah, that's definitely Naruto." Iruka chuckled, turning his head away with a smile. He didn't feel the same wave of worry and sadness he'd felt earlier that week.

"Hmm... Down to the straight forward attitude and wide grin. He cried easily, too." Kakashi lifted his hitai-ate to reveal his Sharingan eye, and true to his words, it was crying, betraying 

Kakashi's sadness when he spoke of his deceased team mates. His friends. "See? He still does."

"Auggh, Kakashi, put that down!" Iruka was too shocked by seeing the Sharingan to pay attention to the tears. He reached over and shoved the hitai-ate back, shaking Kakashi a little. "You're not supposed to use any chakra at all!" Then he froze, because he was practically sitting on top of Kakashi now, on his knees, one hand on Kakashi's head, the other grasping a bare shoulder. He couldn't tell if his heart was skipping beats or if he had forgotten to breathe.

"Iruka..." Kakashi's voice was barely a whisper, and he looked up at Iruka with undisguised awe. Then he shook his head and cleared his throat, shaking the dirty thoughts flooding his mind from their position.

"Iruka... The things I've told you today are things no one else knows." He let the significance of his statement sink in before he continued. "I... I admit that I might have been rash with my words, but I can't deny that I'm attracted to you. And... I'm and idiot, as I don't show this very well, but I enjoy your company." Clearing his throat, he shifted a little, then paused.

"I even have this strong urge to... Defend you, when you're not around to defend yourself. I hope that's okay?"

Shifting back, away from Kakashi, Iruka dropped his hands. "If this is about what Otome-san said, I... uh. Thanks, but you really don't need to defend me like that. It doesn't bother me. Although I am grateful I don't need to go on yet another match-making date." Iruka grinned and shrugged. "But it is kind of a hazard of my profession."

"So being a teacher _is_ dangerous in more ways than one, hm?" Kakashi chuckled, smiling gently up at that beautiful, tan face. "And you are handsome, so no wonder people will try to match you up with daughters and whatnot."

Iruka felt his skin warm at the unexpected compliment. "I, ah, no. I'm pretty sure I don't have anything to do with it. But..." He looked away becaues Kakashi was just looking at him, and Iruka could practically see the man's face, as if the mask weren't even there. "Kakashi-sensei, I'm not... that is, what you said earlier..."

"What?" Kakashi was incredulous. "You're absolutely _gorgeous_!" He could feel his cheeks hurting because he was smiling so widely. "Iruka... I like that you don't think so much of yourself. I like that you aren't vain... But... You're the most beautiful man I've ever seen, because of this." Kakashi put his hand over Iruka's heart, patting gently. "Because of your heart. Your kindness shines through your eyes, and you wear your emotions on your sleeve. Maybe that's what is so endearing about you."

"I thought you hated my face, because of this." Iruka traced the scar running across his nose. "I mean, the one on my back seemed to disturb you. I figured you just... had a problem with scars in general." That hadn't been anywhere close to what he'd been trying to say earlier, and they weren't any closer to an understanding, but Iruka didn't have to be anywhere tomorrow. He had promised he would listen and not run away.

"I don't have a problem with scars, Iruka. It just shocked me that someone calling himself your friend would do that." Kakashi lightly touched the scar running over the bridge of Iruka's 

nose. "It would be hypocritical of me to hate your face because of a scar. I have so many myself."

"You don't have that many on your face," Iruka said quickly. His eyes widened when he realized what he'd said.

"No I guess no-- Wait. You've seen my face? When?" Kakashi felt his heart clench. No. He couldn't have. His mask. When had he removed his mask around Iruka?

Iruka shifted back again, trying to notice if Kakashi had any weapons stashed in the bed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to! But last night, after Hanako-san left, you were already asleep! And your lantern, I couldn't leave it on because someone else might come and see you. An-an-and I didn't know where your masks were, and I didn't want you to wake up!" He knew he was stuttering and stumbling over his words, but he couldn't help it. "I'm so sorry," he said again, desperate that Kakashi wouldn't take this badly.

Kakashi closed his eyes and sighed. "It's okay. I mean... I've been thinking about kissing you, and I can't do that with my mask on, so... If you had been so inclined, you'd have to see my face sometime anyway." He smiled slightly. "I appreciate your thoughtfulness, though."

"Ehuhroo?" Iruka squeaked back. He could feel his body tensing, knowing he was thinking about bolting. But he'd promised he wouldn't. But kissing? Sure, he'd thought about it. Briefly, staring at those lips yesterday. He bit his own lip, trying hard _not_ to think about it, right now. He couldn't listen to Kakashi talk about it if he was thinking about it.

"Kissing, Iruka. I want to kiss you. But it's no rush, I'll let you set the pace." Kakashi reached up and gently stroked Iruka's arm, sensing he was about to run. "It's okay, I'm not going to push you. I mean... If it turns out you're interested, that is..." Suddenly feeling uncertain, Kakashi averted his eyes. Why would Iruka want him?

"Kakashi-sensei, I... uh, really don't know. I'm not, um, indifferent to you. I'm just not...very good at this. Relationships, I mean." He looked at his hands as they worried the sheets. "After, um, well..." Iruka shook his head and smiled. "I guess you can figure how they usually end up." He scratched his ear and shifted again, trying to find words that Kakashi would understand, yet wouldn't send either of them into a fit of embarrassment.

"I think I get it... They tell you they love you, you let them fuck you, they are amused for a little while and then they dump you. On top of that, they even tell you you were stupid to think they actually meant what they said. Am I right?" Kakashi's shrewd gaze swept over Iruka's face, penetrating every defence.

Iruka shook his head. "Maybe the first one, but after that, no." He leaned on his hand, watching Kakashi. "After that, I quit listening." He shrugged, chuckling softly. "But I think you already knew that."

"Yeah. Though Hanako had to beat the fact that I was too rash and forcible into my head with a large stick. She's good like that." Reaching up to touch Iruka's cheek lightly, Kakashi smiled. "See? This isn't so bad. Talking is good. I like talking."

"Have you said everything you wanted to say?" Iruka asked, trying to ignore how the muscles 

of his face jumped under Kakashi's gentle touch.

"No... Actually, there was one thing I wanted to ask you." Kakashi suddenly felt shy and rather self concious. "I... was wondering if... perhaps you'll let me... prove to you that I'm not as big an asshole as those other guys?"

"I..." Iruka shook his head, wondering if Kakashi was being deliberately dense. Or maybe he was the dense one, still. "How about I promise to listen to you? And you promise to behave and get better? And... we'll see how it goes from there?" Eventually Kakashi would realize Iruka wasn't the person he imagined.

Frowning, Kakashi took hold of Iruka's hand. "Iruka... You don't _get_ it, do you?" He let out a deep breath, trying to steady his own mind. Nice and slow, Kakashi, he thought. Just like Hanako told you. Nice and slow. "I've never met anyone quite like you, Iruka. You're so full of life..." Kakashi sighed, letting go again. "I... I just want to live in the light you emit for a short while."

Kakashi paused, then looked up at him. "If that's all right by you."

Oh, he got it okay, Iruka thought ruefully. The question was did he want it? And he thought he'd answered that question with a resounding 'I don't know'. "I'm here either way, Kakashi-sensei. Just... get better. I can't promise anything more."

Slightly bummed and stung in his manly pride, Kakashi looked off to the side and sighed. "Fine... I think I can deal with that." He gave one of his extremely fake, 'I-am-so-not-hurt-by-your-words-because-I'm-a-happy-guy' smiles and turned his face to Iruka again. "Because I'll get to be around you, anyway. That's enough for me."

"Good," Iruka nodded back. He felt a twinge in his chest, knowing he hadn't given Kakashi the right answer, but it was the best he could do for now. "You need to sleep. It's late." Iruka's stomach growled suddenly, too loud in the small bedroom. "And, uh, I haven't eaten yet," he continued with a laugh and a shrug.

Kakashi nudged him gently. "Hey... Don't get yourself exhausted, now." He cocked an eyebrow. "You can't take care of anyone unless you take care of yourself."

"I _could_, if that anyone would quit fighting me." He smiled and stood up, leaning forward to help Kakashi slide down under the sheets. "Do you need anything else?"

Feeling a little playful, Kakashi winked and grinned. "A kiss goodnight?"

Iruka flushed down to his toes, hoping his hands weren't shaking in reaction to his heart rate tripling. He stared down at Kakashi, wondering what the man would think if he ripped that mask down and... But that would be cruel, because Kakashi thought he loved Iruka. Iruka couldn't do that, no matter how much he wanted to.

Instead, as he pulled the covers higher, Iruka brushed his lips against Kakashi's forehead, hidden under the hitai-ate.

"Thank you. Good night." Kakashi smiled genuinely, reaching up to gently brush Iruka's 

cheekbone with the pad of his thumb. "That's the best kiss I ever got."

Blowing out the lantern, Iruka sighed in the darkness. Kakashi was still Kakashi, because there was no way that could be the truth. "Sleep well."

"You, too." Kakashi rolled over, pulled down his mask and removed his hitai-ate, then promptly fell asleep.

Iruka pulled the door to the main room shut, then walked through Kakashi's room in the dark and shut the door to the porch as well. One week down, five more to go. He stared out at the dark night for a moment. It hadn't been the worst week ever, but it had definitely been one of the strangest. His stomach growled again and he growled back, chuckling when he realized he was in danger of becoming a little crazy himself.

--

Ninth chapter done! Woah! I hope you guys are still hanging on, and I want to thank everyone still reading for putting up with the silliness XD

**aoh**: Here is the answer to your question:

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

ambivalent \ambivalent\ adj.

1. 1 undecided as to whether or not to take a proposed course

of action; having feelings both for and against the

proposed action.

Syn: on the fence(predicate), suspensive, uncertain

WordNet 1.5

From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) :

ambivalent

adj 1: characterized by a mixture of opposite feelings or

attitudes; "she felt ambivalent about his proposal";

"an ambivalent position on rent control"

2: uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow;

"was ambivalent about having children"

**OC:** The OCs show up as early as in the first chapter, Uzuki Ryu. We took the liberty to create them, since in the series and in the manga, you see tons of unnamed shinobi. Do you honestly think that there will only be the ones in the canon story? Nobiki and I can't write canon because we're not Masashi Kishimoto. If you want canon, don't read the fanfic. Also, yaoi pairings are definitely not canon. Thank you, however, for sharing your opinion. I can't say I agree with you, and it won't stop me from including my original characters, that were in the story when it was written more than a year ago - but I respect your opinion. As I respect mostly everyone's opinions. If you'd like to share your opinion again, please leave a return e-mail address - and make sure to read the Disclaimer and Warnings section. There's a reason why it's up there. That way I can answer you without bothering everyone else with it.

My e-mail is lady (underscore) elbereth (underscore) gilthoniel (at) hotmail (dot) com. If you'd like to share your opinion about the fic, and you aren't registered at , please, e-mail me and label it Wolf's Winter.


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I think you've all gotten it by now. We don't own. We borrow. Promise to put them back afterwards. PROMISE.

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**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 10**

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Kakashi groaned and rolled over, then he groaned and rolled over again. Nowhere was very comfortable, and he desperately needed to take a leak. How come when everything seemed to be working out, his bladder started to protest and complicate things? He tried to connect his brain with his body, but only felt a massive wave of pain, so he had to decide against going to the bathroom on his own.

That only left one option. Calling for Iruka. But how could he do that? How romantic wasn't it to have to escort your want-to-be suitor to the bathroom? Well, Iruka had done it before. Kakashi supposed he could do it again. "Iruka?" He called, shifting slightly.

Iruka opened his eyes, wondering why he was suddenly awake. It was early, but he hadn't gone to bed until very late, so he felt a little groggy. He sat up, pushing aside his blanket. Had he heard something? He slid open the door to the bedroom, peering into the dark room.

Only belatedly, Kakashi realised he hadn't put his mask back on. He hurriedly tugged it up, and, keeping his Sharingan eye closed, turned his face toward Iruka. "Uhm... I need to take a leak."

"Oh. Okay." Iruka kept the smile off of his face. Kakashi sounded so... sheepish about it. But he was asking for help. No matter how difficult yesterday had been, Iruka would gladly have gone through it again if it meant Kakashi would allow him to do his job here.

He stood up and walked across the room, sliding open the door to the porch before he returned to the bed. "Here, lean on me."

Kakashi shifted and reached up, wrapping his long, thin arm around Iruka's shoulders, more than a little grateful Iruka was wearing a shirt. He didn't think he could take more skin-to-skin contact at the moment. He then more or less stumbled out of bed and had to steady himself on the shorter, but broader man's chest. This brought their faces uncomfortable close, and Kakashi had to swallow to keep his head clear. He shifted back and leaned heavily on Iruka, letting him lead the way.

They made it the few steps to the door of the toilet without incident. "Call me when you're done. I'll go start the bath heating," Iruka said, shutting the door behind him.

Kakashi sighed, doing his business. At least Iruka wasn't physically _there_ when he pissed. That would've been too embarrassing for words. He tucked himself back in when he was done, and called out for Iruka. They made their way back into the house, albeit a little slowly. Kakashi was aching. "Hurts." He said, his voice slightly choked from the force of the muscle-cramps in his legs, arms and back.

"Did Otome-san come yesterday?" Iruka asked, holding his breath because this could go either way.

Nodding because he was unable to speak, Kakashi twitched. He didn't want her to come again, though, so he had to think of something.

"Can't you... do it...?" He ground out between clenched teeth, flopping down onto the bed. "That... would be... much... better."

Iruka shook his head. "Sorry, no, I'm not a medic." He didn't dare mention the chakra exchange - it had taken a lot out of him, and he didn't want to get Kakashi's hopes up. "Please just bear with it a little longer. If you can do that, perhaps we can get someone else to come next week?"

"For...get it. I'll... deal... with the... Nnngh! Pain." Kakashi was panting. He hurt so badly he just wanted to curl up into a fetal position and die right then and there. Death, however, seemed like a better option than to deal with Otome-bitch again.

"That's not an option," Iruka said, his tone commanding and decisive. "What is it you don't like? Is she too rough?"

"Her... personality." Kakashi could feel his tongue curling. He couldn't speak, and was suddenly struck with panic. On top of that, he had no control over his body whatsoever, and the pains were unreal - of another dimension entirely.

"Perhaps she is merely responding to your own attitude. You haven't been a particularly desirable patient in the past." Iruka leaned forward, rubbing his hands along Kakashi's calves through the thin fabric of the pajama pants. He wasn't a medic, but he could tell Kakashi was in pain. He would do what he could. Hopefully the bath would help, but it wasn't ready yet.

He gave Iruka the best glare he could muster, then had to bite his tongue not to scream because of the strong cramps tugging at his leg muscles. The way Iruka was rubbing at his calves relaxed them, but his thighs were still aching. Kakashi could feel tears rising in his eyes - this was worse than torture.

Iruka continued to massage Kakashi's legs, moving to grip the man's bony knees, then thighs. "The bath is almost ready. Why don't we go ahead and go in there? But not too long."

Kakashi gave a weak nod and a whimper in response. He was trembling all over and couldn't really move, but he couldn't speak, either, so it was useless to try to tell Iruka that. "Nnghh..." It was difficult, but he tried to get words out. "Can't... uhhn... move."

He groaned again when he felt arms sliding underneath his body. "Just lay still," Iruka murmured, hoisting Kakashi into his arms. "I think those crutches were a little too much for you. And you need to keep drinking that tea Godaime sent home with you. It might help."

Kakashi made a face. That tea was _vile_. But he didn't protest as Iruka carried him into the bathroom. He wasn't even worried about Iruka seeing him without his mask and pants, he just wanted relief. It hurt so much, and he could feel tears running down his cheeks. Big, fat tears. He wondered what Iruka thought of him now.

"Please try to bear with this a little longer," Iruka murmured, absently pressing Kakashi's head 

to his shoulder in a near-hug. He stripped off Kakashi's pants and set him on the stool right next to the tub. He would need to wash Kakashi as quickly as possible, but he also needed to start the stove for the tea. "I'll be right back," he said, draping a towel over Kakashi's lap.

Kakashi almost fell off the chair. He didn't want to be alone, but the solitude made him want to clear his head. Trying hard, he focused on making the pain stop, make it go away. It was difficult, but by the time Iruka was back he didn't tremble as badly - he just didn't look all too well.

This would have been so much easier if they had a spray-nozzle, Iruka groused as he worked, scrubbing Kakashi lightly with the soap. He took the time to run his fingers across Kakashi's legs again, using the soap to help his hands slide up and down. He could feel the muscles quiver whenever he switched direction.

Kakashi clenched his eyes shut and groaned. It _hurt_. But he could already feel the muscles in his jaw loosening slightly, the pressure had subsided a little due to the warm water. "Remove... my mask." Kakashi could barely breathe with the soggy garment on, and Iruka had already seen his face - it wouldn't matter so much if he saw it again. At least, that's what his foggy brain told him.

Iruka didn't answer, but crouched behind Kakashi. He understood Kakashi was in pain, and that pain might make him more prone to rash behavior. He slipped the mask and hitai-ate off, setting them on a table. He poured water over Kakashi's head, spending extra time rubbing his fingers across tight shoulders, finally pulling Kakashi against his torso. "Lean back on me. I've got you."

Kakashi nodded, relishing Iruka's warmth. He already felt a little better, and had noted that the chuunin was exceptionally talented at giving massages. Putting his full trust in Iruka, he leaned back against him and put his head on the pretty chuunin's shoulder. It lolled back to reveal his pale, rather pretty face. Not at all what one would have expected.

"Close your eyes, Kakashi-sensei. I'm going to wash your hair, then I'll make your tea."

Nodding again, Kakashi closed his eyes. This prompted more tears to spill, even though he'd been fighting them back with all of his will.

"It's okay," Iruka whispered, working one hand through soft, white hair while the other held Kakashi against his chest. "If it helps to cry, go ahead. I only wish I could take some of this from you, but I can't." It hurt, physically hurt, watching Kakashi like this. If this was Kakashi getting better, Iruka didn't want to see the man truly injured.

Kakashi could feel a sob tearing out of his throat, and it didn't sound like him at all. It was hollow and reflected his pain. Rather accurately, in fact. More tears fell from behind closed lids and he shuddered, cowering against Iruka. Iruka, sweet, gentle Iruka. He was like a steady rock in a violent ocean storm, and he soothed Kakashi.

At last, Iruka was done, and he lowered Kakashi into the steaming water. He dashed into the kitchen to set the kettle to boil, then he was back. He'd considered getting in the tub with Kakashi, but the tea was important. Especially if Kakashi would actually drink it this time. Iruka suspected he'd dumped the last batch off the side of the porch. Iruka stayed crouched on 

one side of the tub, arm still supporting Kakashi's body. The bath didn't feel hot to him, but he knew it was the hottest Kakashi could stand right now.

Letting out a deep sigh, Kakashi leaned his forehead against the side of Iruka's neck. Being in the water was soothing, it relaxed his sore muscles. Being close to Iruka was soothing to his mind. "Thank you..." He murmured, voice still raw and hoarse from crying.

"It's nothing," Iruka murmured back, his hand idly stroking Kakashi's hand. "If it's not better after your second cup of tea, I'll carry you to the hospital on my back." He was worried - Tsunade never mentioned it might get this bad.

"No... Don't need the hospital... Just stay here with me, please..." Kakashi gently nudged Iruka's jaw with his nose, and his voice was almost pleading. He curled up a little further, trying to get a little closer.

"Of course I'll stay with you!" Iruka shook his head, shocked. Leave Kakashi here to suffer by himself? He heard the kettle boiling and set Kakashi's hand on the side of the tub. "Hang on for five seconds," he promised. Iruka made another dash for the kitchen, pouring an entire pot of the tea. The instructions said it was better fresh, but could be reheated or drunk cold.

Kakashi sunk low into the tub and tried to relax some more. Take it easy, Iruka is coming back soon, he hasn't abandoned you. He gasped for breath, suddenly feeling a sting of panic and hurt. He hasn't left you, not like Minato-sensei or Obito... Rin.

"Come on, it's time to get out." Iruka lifted Kakashi up and wrapped a towel around his hips. "Do you think you could sit in a chair? Your hair will dry faster in the kitchen."

Resembling a soggy, not entirely happy kitten, Kakashi merely slung his arms around Iruka's neck and clung to him, afraid that he'd leave. He was probably going to feel ashamed of his behavior later, but the strong sense of dread coursing through his body made him act rashly. "Just... Don't leave me. I'd go anywhere, just... Just don't leave me."

It wasn't a particularly unusual reaction to pain, but it was unexpected coming from someone like Kakashi. Iruka lifted Kakashi into his arms again, snagging another towel before he set the man down on a kitchen chair, positioning it closer to the stove. The tea was nearly ready, so Iruka poured a cup and handed it to Kakashi. "Drink this. I will be right back. I need to get you something to wear." He spoke slowly, deliberately, like he would to a very young child.

Kakashi obediently drank the tea he was handed as he waited for Iruka to return. He was calming down little by little, and the feelings of abandonment grew dim, less urgent. Sighing, he looked out of the window. "Sensei... Why did you have to die?"

--

"Hokage-sama." The tall, slender, incredibly beautiful and lethal man smiled down at Tsunade, then dipped his head in a polite bow. "Thank you for letting me return home for New Year's."

Riku turned to look out of the window in his room at the institution. "I am afraid that Ryu would have quite the predicament had I not been released."

"What do you mean, Riku?" Tsunade stepped a little closer, but held her distance. She couldn't deny that this man was deeply unsettling to her. He may look fragile and easily broken, but in fact he was a force of nature – unpredictable and dangerous, but soothing and kind most of the time.

"Did you know I'm not returning to the ward, Hokage-sama?" He smiled sadly, turning to look at her face. His grey eyes were gentle and looked sane, so he must be speaking of something other than running away, and if he had wanted to run away- "I could have done it ages ago. No... It is not running away I speak of."

He turned away from Tsunade again, humming to himself. One graceful, slender hand raised to draw patterns on the glass window. "No... Not running away. If I am wrong in my assumptions, you can take me back here." He swayed lightly from side to side and sang a soft lullaby. Riku had told Tsunade earlier that this song was one he was fond of – his dead mother used to sing it to him and his brothers all the time.

The beautiful and haunting melody halted, and Riku joined her in the real world again. "Something is going to happen, Tsunade-sama. Something bad. Kakashi is wounded, but he will need to be healed before then, for he is needed."

She could feel every nerve in her body tingle with the extreme power radiating off of this porcelain doll of a man. Her nose widened as she smelled it. Power. He was using his kekkei genkai.

"What do you suggest I do?" Tsunade frowned, scared for the first time in a very long time.

Riku stopped his humming and looked at her. "I suggest you research. Tell Iruka to help – Otome-san is just making things worse for Kakashi-san."

Tsunade bowed respectfully – what else was there to do in the presence of such power? Then she turned and bolted from the room, going straight for the library across the street.

--

The building itself wasn't much to look at, but Tsunade barely noticed the worn floors and cracked walls. She always came here when she needed to think, to get away from everything. Nodding to the two chuunin on duty, she pushed open a door and climbed up the stairs to the archives. Reaching behind a series of sturdy medical tomes, she pulled a bottle out. She had hidden it here a month ago but hadn't had time to retrieve it. It wasn't exactly where she'd left it, which meant one of the librarians had found it and wisely let it be. Too bad Shizune wasn't so understanding.

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, sighing as the slightly bitter liquid hit the back of her throat. She could still see the stacks of requests on her desk, all the paper work waiting for her. There wasn't any way around it - even without Riku's dire warning, she needed Kakashi back. They were falling behind again, and these weren't missions she could reassign easily. Every jounin she could spare was already working nearly non-stop, and without Kakashi it was only going to get worse. Damn him for being so competent! She'd grown used to it, in such a short time. But Iruka had been right as well - Kakashi needed time to heal.

Draining another cup, she began to browse the books and scrolls there. She pulled a few out at 

random, paging through them. No, it was as she remembered. Iruka wasn't a medical ninja, and trying to train him as one was silly. Besides, she already had a student. Sakura would be looking for her in a few hours.

A worn folder caught her eye, leaning on its side between two larger books, and half-hidden by a scroll. Probably just some student's notes, she thought with irritation. She pulled it out, meaning to set it on a cart for the librarian to deal with, when a seal caught her eye. Niidaime? This was old. She sat down, paging through the neatly handwritten pages.

When Shizune entered the room an hour later, closely followed by one of the librarians, she was surprised to find Tsunade surrounded by stacks of books. Even more surprising was the open sake bottle, open yet forgotten off to the side. It seemed her mentor had found something interesting. "What can I do?" she asked, her voice serious.

"Find this book," Tsunade snapped back, her eyes still scanning the book in front of her. She handed Shizune a scroll with a notation on the top. The man beside her looked at it.

"That, um, it's housed in the T&I Department."

"Under whose orders?" Tsunade stared the man down, her eyes narrowed. "Since when does T&I order medical textbooks?"

"M-M-Morinio Ibiki, Hokage-sama. I, uh, didn't ask why he wanted it."

Tsunade chuckled, shaking her head. "No, I suppose you wouldn't." It bothered her, after their battle with Kabuto, to find that perhaps he wasn't the only shinobi using medical techniques to harm instead of heal. "Put these away, I'm done. I'll go talk to Morino myself. And archive this properly."

"Yes, Hokage-sama! At once!"

"Shizune, go to the hospital and tell Otome-san she doesn't need to visit the brat anymore."

"So you found something?"

Tsunade grinned and nodded. "Iruka's not going to like it, and it will be interesting to see if he can get Kakashi to agree, but yes, I think I have." She left the room with a blush on her face, but it had nothing to do with the sake.

Shizune followed Tsunade out of the door with a polite bow to the librarian. "Toss it," she mouthed, pointing at the sake bottle, while scooping her mentor's cup up into her pocket. Tsunade seemed to have forgotten all about it.

--

Bit shorter this one. I'm trying to divide them at sensible places. Yup. Trying to be sensible. So yeah. I hope you enjoyed reading!

Until next time.


	12. Chapter 11

If I have to write that pesky disclaimer one more time, I'm going to pull my hair out.

Oh, fine. Neither me nor Nobiki own nothing, except for original characters and plot.

**Warnings:** Guy.

--

**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 11**

--

Kakashi blinked his eyes open. His body didn't hurt as bad anymore, and he wanted out. He'd been trapped inside for ages, and he really wanted to go to the Memorial. Hopefully, Iruka was still inside. Trying to get out of bed would only put him in ill favor with Iruka and he didn't want that, so he tried calling his name. Hopefully, he would hear it.

The man stuck his head in the door almost immediately, smiling. "Ah, you're awake. I hope you're feeling better."

"Yeah... A little. Listen... Would you mind getting the beast in here? I want to go to the Memorial." The beast was Kakashi's codename for the wheelchair, as he didn't like to ask for the wheelchair to sit in.

Iruka frowned but he nodded. The wind was starting to pick up again, and it looked like the weather was about to change. But Kakashi had been inside for several days. And saying no might endanger Kakashi's agreeable mood. "Do you need help dressing?" he asked as he pulled a uniform from the bedroom chest.

A sigh came from the vicinity of the bed, somewhere under the pile of blankets Kakashi had managed to bundle himself up in. If Iruka looked hard, he might be able to spot an eye. "Yeah, that'd be nice."

"Can you unravel yourself while I get the chair ready?" Iruka tried not to grin, but it has hard not to. When Kakashi wasn't fighting him tooth and nail, the man was kind of... sweet. "I'll be back in a second."

Kakashi struggled with the blankets for a moment, then gave up with a miffed groan and a pout. He really didn't understand his own body. How come he always managed to tangle himself up this badly?

"How did you manage to get yourself stuck like this?" Iruka chuckled from the doorway. The chair was set up in the entry, with Kakashi's shoes. "It's like you're even fighting the blankets! Are you sleeping okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Sleeping fine." Kakashi struggled again, still futile. "It's when I'm _not_ tangling myself up you should worry."

Iruka laughed again and bent lower to roll Kakashi out of his coccoon. It was a little awkward, doing this for Kakashi. It was more awkward because Kakashi was letting him do it. Sure, he 

looked a little embarrassed about it, and Iruka had to fight not to stare at the flush on the pale neck - it made Kakashi seem almost... delicate. Fragile. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to slow his heart beat.

Finally free from the entrapment of his blankets, Kakashi gave a slight stretch. "I feel a lot better, now. Thanks" He smiled, moving to rub at his eyes, and felt... bare... skin. "I need a mask, I feel naked."

"You haven't had one on since this morning. I've been terrified someone was going to walk in." Iruka pulled one from the drawer of the bedside table and handed it to Kakashi. "But I think you sleep better without it."

Kakashi took the mask and tugged it on. "I do. As safe as the mask makes me feel," he paused, adjusting the mentioned garment, "it sort of handicaps my breathing."

"Then... why wear it?" He had to ask. He really didn't care about the answer or the mask - it was just something that Kakashi did, like reading those novels. But if it caused a hardship, or put Kakashi at risk? "How are you safe with a mask on?"

"It's not so much physical safety as social safety." Kakashi shrugged. "I just feel less exposed when wearing it."

It wasn't an answer Iruka could really understand, but it was an answer and not an evasion. He nodded at the clothes on the bed. "Where do you want to start?"

"Why not start with the underwear?" Kakashi blushed. "Though I'll do that myself, if you don't mind. Then we can start at the bottom and go up."

Turning around, Iruka sat down next to the bed. "I'm just gonna, uh, sit here. Let me know when you're ready." He bent his head to his knees, sighing. A fragile, docile, almost-completely helpless Kakashi was easier to take care of, but it was playing havoc with Iruka's pulse. He closed his eyes, but all he could see was Kakashi's face, the slight blush staining the man's cheeks. Handsome didn't begin to cover it.

Kakashi looked at the underwear. Then he reached out, grabbed them and slid under the covers to tug them on. By the time he was finished, the covers were a ball on the floor. "I'm ready... Iruka? Are you all right?"

"Fine," came the breathless answer. "Okay, pants." He shook himself and stood up, smile in place. "Feet up. We need to get going."

It didn't take long to finish dressing Kakashi, but to Iruka it seemed forever. Finally, he was done wrapping Kakashi's legs. "Your vest is in the entry," he explained, pulling Kakashi's arm across his shoulder to lift him from the bed. They wouldn't be able to stay long - Kakashi looked exhausted already.

Simply leaning on Iruka to move over to the wheelchair, Kakashi gave a short nod. "Mm... Okay." He could already feel his eyes drooping, but didn't want to fall asleep, not now. He had something important to do, after all. The Memorial was incredibly important.

"Okay, let's go."

--

It was late afternoon when they arrived, but they weren't alone. A tall figure in green stood there, his face lighting up when he saw them enter the clearing. "My Eternal Rival, I feared the worst when I found you had left the hospital."

Kakashi visibly flinched and barely contained himself from crawling over the back of the chair and over Iruka and then all the way back home. "Guy. So... nice to see you."

"Ah, Guy-sensei! How nice to see you again." Iruka smiled, pushing Kakashi until they were right in front of the man. He'd always liked the man, even if he did seem a bit strange on the surface. "Are we interrupting?"

"Of course not!" Guy countered, loudly. "I was looking for my Eternal Rival. I knew if I waited here long enough, he would come."

Flashing an utterly fake grin, Kakashi looked up at Guy. "You really wanted to see me, huh?"

Guy's face fell, as if he hadn't even heard Kakashi speak. "How can I push myself when my own rival, Kakashi, is reduced to being wheeled around like a child? It seems I must wait until you are recovered. How is your training coming?"

God, no... Kakashi let out a soft sigh. "I'm not training much, Guy. I'm afraid to say I don't know when I will be better. Five weeks at the least."

Iruka let out the breath he'd been holding silently. Kakashi was going to be civil. Kakashi was accepting that he would be housebound for several weeks. He bent and locked the wheels. "Kakashi-sensei, I'm going to step away for a bit. Let me know when you're ready to go."

"Okay." Kakashi turned to look at Guy, his self-proclaimed rival. "What have you been up to lately, Guy?"

His rival, however, had turned to watch Iruka walk away, smiling. "What a strong, gentle man he is. I am filled with pride in knowing our own village has produced such an earnest and responsible person."

Kakashi let out a soft growl as his eyes widened and turned impossibly cold. "Indeed. And how far does that pride stretch?"

Guy stared at him a moment, before laughing and clamping his hand down on Kakashi's shoulder. "What a hip and modern answer! I am filled with manly joy that although our enemies have managed to wound you, they have not been able to prick your spirit. Indeed, I am sure you will be on your feet in no time." He looked down at Kakashi's face, his brows drawn together. "Although I am surprised to find you here with Iruka-sensei. Have you put aside your childish squabble then?"

Turning his head to the side, Kakashi watched Iruka, standing off to the side. "I... He's watching me, helping me recover. And the squabble is buried and dead, if that is what you will call it."

"I am glad. Although I would wish you could let go of other things so easily." He didn't need to nod at the Memorial Stone for Kakashi to catch his meaning. "Perhaps now you can begin to look forward to something other than our challenges?" He gave Kakashi a wholly-inappropriate wink.

Kakashi gave a violent shudder, then groaned with pain, glowering at Guy. "I can't. They... No. It's impossible."

Iruka was at his side instantly, dodging Guy's attempts to help. "Kakashi-sensei, are you okay? Have the pains returned already?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry, Iruka-sensei." He smiled genuinely at the chuunin, then turned to Guy. "It's impossible. I can't let it go, I must remember."

The wind blew suddenly, a bracing chill in the cooling sun. Iruka sighed and stood up. He would need to bring more blankets, otherwise he was going to have a very uncomfortable night. "Guy-sensei, I need to run an errand. Would you mind staying with Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi's eyes widened, looking pleadingly up at Iruka. 'Please, don't leave me!' He didn't say anything though, just settled down against the back of the wheelchair and looked at the Memorial, not acknowleding Guy at all.

"Why, of course! Just leave it to me! I will give my life to protect Kakashi! I will -"

"Ah, that shouldn't be necessary," Iruka interrupted. He bent down to Kakashi's ear. "I have a few errands I need to run before it turns cold. I'll be back in about half an hour. If you want to go home before then, have Guy-sensei take you home and I will meet you there." His hand was curled around Kakashi's neck as he spoke softly, their heads almost touching.

Shivering slightly, Kakashi couldn't do anything but nod - his tongue had died a slow, horrible death at Iruka's close proximity. When the chuunin finally let go, Kakashi's brain had already melted and was on the verge of pouring out of his ears.

It took a few more rounds of polite conversation before Iruka waved and sprinted away, back towards the village. Guy sighed again, watching him go, and Kakashi felt his temper spike.

"What the hell is it? Why are you sighing like a lovesick puppy when you look at Iruka, huh?!" Kakashi was hissing, spitting mad. He didn't want anyone to look at _his_ Iruka that way.

Guy smiled, not the normal, open, toothy smile, but the slyer one only Kakashi had ever seen. "Curious you would mention 'lovesick puppy'," he said, his dark eyes half-lidded and staring at Kakashi.

Kakashi didn't know which hole to creep into first. "Lovesick puppy? What the hell? You're the only lovesick puppy I see around here!"

"Then perhaps you should carry a hand mirror as well." Guy crouched down next to the chair, looking up at Kakashi, his eyes serious and grim. "When did this happen?"

This was just terrific, Kakashi thought as he lowered his eyes and stared at his folded hands. "Rather fast. He's just... And I just... And now, I'm..." He sighed again. How weird was this? Talking about love with Guy of all people.

"Are you sure you have room for him?" Guy nodded at the stone again.

"I... Yes." Kakashi looked up and into Guy's dark eyes, expression sincere and honest. "I have room for him. Why the hell do you care, anyway?"

"You are my oldest friend, and if you have finally found love, I am happy. But Iruka doesn't seem like a man who would accept being second in someone's heart."

Kakashi lowered his head and sighed. "I know. That is why I want to put him first, Guy. I... I think I love him." He was rather startled by this admission, as his declarations of love had been rather in the heat of the moment before. Now, they were all the more real to him, as he said it to someone else.

"And Iruka? Have you told him?"

An aggravated sigh escaped Kakashi. "Oh. Definitely tried. He turns the deaf ear towards me, though. Won't listen."

Guy patted his shoulder awkwardly, nodding. "I don't pretend to know what's going on. As you know, I myself have never been lucky in love. And Iruka... he seems somewhat... volatile." Guy chuckled, remembering the young man's heated outburst during the chuunin exam selection meeting. "Are you sure you can handle that, Kakashi?"

"Wouldn't know until I've tried it, would I?" Kakashi smirked slightly. "I don't know, though. I hope so. If I'm the right one, I... I'll handle anything."

Guy nodded absently. He stood, silent, allowing Kakashi to proceed with his own personal visit. He'd said all he needed to say about this. Kakashi knew he was concerned - he would never have spoken so openly otherwise. But if his rival was convinced he loved the young teacher, he would accept this as a personal challenge to overcome any difficulty. Kakashi had never shied away from a challenge.

Kakashi turned to look at the Memorial, memorizing the names of his former team mates - Obito, Minato-sensei... He sighed softly, finding comfort and strength there, no more the dreadful guilt of his own survival. "Thank you," he murmured.

--

Iruka sped up, cursing to himself. This was taking too long. What had he been thinking? Just pop across the village, grab some things from his apartment, then a few from Kakashi's, and then go back and drop them off at the house. Except his mailbox was overflowing, and then his landlord wanted to know where he'd been. He grabbed a couple of robes and stuffed them along with the mail into an old canvas bag. Stripping the thin blanket from his bed, he tossed it over his shoulder. Suddenly his bag was full and he decided to drop his things at the house first.

He'd already been gone nearly thirty minutes when he arrived at Kakashi's apartment with his 

empty bag. He pulled Kakashi's blanket from the bed, steadfastly pretending to ignore how big Kakashi's bed was compared to his, the perfect size for two men. Iruka scanned the room, looking for anything else that might make Kakashi's stay at the house more comfortable. He dug through the dresser and pulled out a few pieces at random before ransacking the bath shelf for soap and shampoo.

Tossing everything down on Kakashi's bed back at the house, Iruka stopped to take a deep breath. Kakashi wasn't home yet. Why wasn't he home yet? Shaking his head to force a tendril of panic down, Iruka put his shoes back on and took off down the dirt road. Should he go straight there, or follow the back trail? If he went straight there, he might miss them. But if he took the long way, Kakashi might become anxious if he was waiting for Iruka to take him home. Iruka pushed some chakra into his feet and took off across the village, straight to the Memorial Stone. He could always come back to the house if he missed them.

--

Kakashi shifted a little in his chair, looking up at Guy. "Uh, listen... Could you bring me to the house, Guy? It's getting a little cold."

"Of course! Just leave it to me!" He grinned and posed, his 'nice guy' persona back in full glory. "I will get you home in five minutes, or I will climb the Hokage Monument with only my thumbs!"

Kakashi instinctively grabbed the sides of the wheelchair, preparing for a bumpy ride. "Guy, that's really not necessary."

"Oh? Do you need to get home faster? I could always carry you."

Shaking his head furiously, not caring about the ache it caused, Kakashi smiled. "No, no, not necessary. You could always, you know, stroll slowly?"

Guy's eyes shone as manly tears gathered in the corners. "My Eternal Rival, what a novel idea. To stroll slowly, taking in the beauty of our beloved village. To stop and greet our neighbors and comrades." He posed again, preparing to launch into another speech that would probably include phrases like 'Springtime of our Youth' and 'Manly Love'.

Kakashi held up his hands. "No! Take a backroad, please! I..." He trailed off, sighing softly. "I don't want their pity."

The tears spilled onto Guy's broad face, his hand squeezing Kakashi's shoulder again. "Such bravery in the face of your misfortune. How like you to want to spare our comrades a moment of doubt." He unlocked the brakes of the wheelchair. "A back road stroll then, with only the squirrels for company."

Trying hard to suppress it - and failing - Kakashi gave a slight smile. Guy was definitely refreshing company, if a bit over-eager. "Thank you for your understanding, I am sure the squirrels will be happy for our company."

Footsteps pounding hard against the dirt road alerted them to the arrival of Iruka, seconds before he appeared from behind a tree, his face flushed and hair a bit awry. "Oh, good, you're still here," he blurted out, trying to suck in oxygen after his mad dash without seeming to do 

so.

Kakashi blinked. "Iruka... Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Iruka lied, his voice shaky. "I was afraid I had taken too long."

A sudden scream of a bird above their head redirected their attention. It circled over their heads a few times before taking off. "Iruka-sensei, I will leave you to take over then," Guy said, his eyes still on the bird. "It seems I have somewhere else to be. But never fear, Kakashi, I leave you in the most capable hands of your beloved." He flashed his 'nice guy' pose one more time before he turned, following the bird to find out what Tsunade needed.

Kakashi squeaked at Guy's statement, then settled down sulkily in his wheelchair, making a pitiful figure. "Take me home?" He asked, his voice suddenly a little small.

"Don't worry, you'll be on your feet and back to taking missions in no time." Iruka didn't even want to think about what the self-proclaimed Beautiful Blue Beast of Konoha had let slip.

Not entirely convinced, Kakashi gave a slight nod and shifted in his seat. He wanted a bath, and then sleep.

--

The trip back was silent. Iruka wished he'd thought to bring a blanket with him - the wind was blowing harder, sending cold dry air down his nose every time he took a breath. He hoped he could get everything done while Kakashi had a bath, then they would eat. Iruka rolled his neck, feeling the strain of the day setting in.

Once back in the little house, Iruka stopped to fold up the wheelchair, placing it discreetly in the closet. Available, but out of sight.

Kakashi was superbly exhausted and could barely keep his eyes open as Iruka helped him into the main room. He could vaguely sense the faint smell of lavender in the air, and knew that Ryu was around. He also knew that Iruka couldn't smell it, as he didn't have as sensitive a nose as he himself had.

"I'm kind of tired... Will you help me with the bath, please?" The talk with Guy had drained him completely and he didn't really know if he could keep himself upright to even wash off, but he'd try.

"Uh, sure." Iruka was still surprised at Kakashi's request for help, but he supposed Kakashi was getting used to him. It didn't make it any easier, though, on either of them.

Kakashi sighed softly. "Look, I really wish I could manage on my own, but we both know that if I manage to knock myself over, I might not make it." He scrunched up his nose and tilted his head. "It's kind of embarrassing, needing help like this."

Iruka nodded, trying not to look at Kakashi. "This is why I'm here, Kakashi-sensei. Please try not to think about it too much. You'll be better soon." Iruka bit the inside of his cheek, forcing _those_ thoughts out of his mind. They were coming more often now, and he was starting to feel a little breathless again. Take your own damn advice, he snarled to himself.

Kakashi made his way slowly over to the wall near the kitchen door to lean on one of the support beams. "I'll try to get settled myself, okay? But I think I'll need help with getting out of my clothes." Iruka was too enchanting, Kakashi thought. Too beautiful and too kind and just too fucking fantastic. Whenever he looked at him, his heartrate would speed up beyond imagination and his breath grew heavier. He tried to calm himself down, knowing these reactions were not healthy for his body. However, it was difficult to keep calm and cool when the object of his desires was so close and yet so far away.

"Okay. It shouldn't take too long to heat the bath."

--

Wow. Chapter eleven done. I am so tired I think I could keel over if someone looked at me too hard.

Hope you guys enjoyed! The review button enjoys the harassment! Thanks to all for sticking around.


	13. Chapter 12

**Warnings:** Smexing. Well… Some of it.

--

**Wolf's Winter - Chapter 12**

--

Iruka waited until he'd helped Kakashi settle into the tub before he left the bathroom. He placed the towels and pajamas by the doorway, along with his own bath robe, then ran to the bedroom silently. He didn't have much time - he would need to check on Kakashi soon, because how terrible would it be if Kakashi drowned in a bath tub?

He pulled the bed out from the wall and shoved the tall bookcase behind it. He'd found it in the closet last week, but hadn't had time to drag it out. It was heavy, but clean, and Iruka just managed to squeeze it between the wall and the bed without tearing the tatami mat below. After a quick swipe of a rag, he settled the pictures onto their new home, freeing up the side table for water, food, and the lantern. He settled Kakashi's blanket over the other bedspread, and placed Kakashi's books on the table. All of Kakashi's things were pushed onto the top of the chest to be sorted later.

Finally, he dragged the kerosene heater into the bedroom and filled it carefully. He would need to put up the shutters on the porch tonight - he could do that after they ate. He closed both doors and turned on the heater. By the time Kakashi got in bed, the room would be warm, and hopefully Kakashi would feel more at ease surrounded by his own things.

--

Kakashi leaned back in the bathtub and took a slow breath. It felt nice, soaking like this. Thinking back on the day, Kakashi was happy. Iruka had been thoughtful in bringing his shampoo and soap, he'd never think that the chuunin would actually pay attention to things like that. But, the warm water caused the tears in his bones to ache and throb, and soon, he wanted to get out. Soaking longer wouldn't be healthy, it would only cause him pain.

He tried to sit up further but couldn't move – his muscles had clenched and knotted themselves up, and he really, really hurt. Trying again, he could only move a finger. Fuck it, he'd have to pester Iruka again. He felt frustration boil into a tight knot in his stomach, and tried once more, then he called out the chuunin's name.

Iruka jumped up from the table, pen scattering specks of ink across the homework paper. He'd just finished putting up the shutters, had just sat down to work. "Kakashi-sensei?" he called from the kitchen. "Did you need something?" He hoped Kakashi would answer. He didn't want to just barge in.

Kakashi clenched his eyes shut and sat there like an idiot. He couldn't bring himself to pester Iruka anymore, it was embarrassing enough as it was. Poor Iruka, being forced to run around at his beck and call all the time. Besides, Kakashi was a proud person. Being dependent on another being was highly unusual to him, and now, his pride felt wounded. He did need Iruka's help, but his pride wouldn't let him. Sometimes he cursed his pride. It brought him a lot of trouble.

"Kakashi-sensei? I... think you've been in there long enough. You need to get out now." Iruka grit his teeth and stepped up to the entrance to the bath, standing just out of sight. He would wait exactly ten more seconds. He couldn't manage any more, visions of Kakashi floating dead in a tub of hot water filling his eyes. Okay, five seconds. Not ten, just five.

Kakashi bit his lip. "I... can't move."

Iruka released his breath slowly, relief flooding his body. He could feel his muscles shuddering. He hadn't realized he'd been that tense. "It's okay. That happens sometimes." He couldn't laugh, not now, because he knew the jounin would take it badly. "I'll be right there." He picked up the towel, the pajamas, and the ancient yukata he'd brought from home. Kakashi could use it. "Here," he said lightly, crouching down by the tub and offering the towel first. And tried not to stare, because Kakashi looked like a cooked lobster.

Vaguely embarrassed about his red skin, Kakashi forced his arm up to grab the towel. He leaned a little forward to grab the side of the tub, and grit his teeth to force chakra through his weak body, forcing it to cooperate. Then, he finally stood up in all his wet, naked glory. It took all his strength to stand up, and he couldn't really move his arms, so the towel stayed in his hand, hanging limply at his side.

As the long swath of skin rose from the tub, Iruka knew he should close his eyes. Or look away. Or something. He briefly wondered why Kakashi didn't use the towel. And then Kakashi was standing, and Iruka was faced with another long swath of reddened skin, surrounded by damp hair, and his mouth dropped open. He shut it with a click of teeth and turned his head up to face the man glaring down at him. "Umm... I thought you couldn't move."

"I can barely stand. I can't move. Help." The words were gritted out through clenched teeth, and his voice was strained. He was in pain and he didn't think he'd be able to keep up the chakra flow for much longer. He just wanted Iruka to wrap the towel around him and hold him close, just let him sink into his arms and down to the floor. Even death would have been better than this.

Kakashi's plea for help cut through the haze in Iruka's mind and he shot up, grabbing hold of one still-wet wrist. "I'm sorry," he murmured, wrapping the towel around Kakashi's body with his other hand and pulling Kakashi tightly against his hip. "I should have known that. Here, lean on me and I'll get you out of the tub and dry you off."

Letting out a soft sigh of relief, Kakashi leaned on the offered shoulder and sagged. Iruka would handle this, he would help him and guide him back to bed, and all would be well. Kakashi felt relief at that. But at the same time, a slight jolt ran down his body. His skin was very sensitive, and Iruka would be touching his entire body. The thoughts evolved into more erotic pictures, and Kakashi had to fight an impending erection.

Being so close to Iruka was dangerous. He tried to think of something unpleasant. Ton-Ton as a woman was out of the question, those thoughts were too old, out-dated and over-used. Jiraiya in drag, however. Kakashi almost giggled. He relaxed a little more and leaned a little heavier on the sturdy chuunin supporting him. He just enjoyed being taken care of by Iruka. It was all right, everything was going to be fine.

Iruka snagged the bath stool with one foot and set Kakashi down on it as gently as he could. He'd done this before, more than once, but now, he couldn't stop thinking of the skin he was touching, of whose skin he touching. And now, with Kakashi's skin so warm, and the man just laying against him, not fighting for a change, Iruka couldn't help it.

He grabbed another towel from the stack and started to dry Kakashi off, hoping Kakashi was too tired to notice him staring. Every drop of water trailing down, every goosebump, every scar or bruise or scrape, Iruka noticed them all. He hoped he was being gentle, but it was impossible to keep his face from flushing or his breath quickening. He bit down on his lip and started to work on Kakashi's hair. Hopefully the towel around Kakashi's mid-section would keep the man warm enough until he finished, and had dragged his self-control back from whatever cloud it had decided to rest on.

Kakashi was so incredibly tired. His eyelids kept drooping, his mind was fuzzy, and somehow, he had a strong urge to just lean in and lick and nip at Iruka's neck. The man was made of pure sex, he was certain of it.

The way he smelled, his skin, those gorgeous brown eyes... Kakashi just wanted to be pinned down by him and licked all over. And by the way Iruka was looking at him right now, he was pretty sure he'd said that out loud.

Iruka knew there were side effects from fatigue, but he didn't think hallucinations, aural or otherwise, were one of them. But perhaps Kakashi was the one hallucinating? Iruka sighed and nodded. That had to be it. The trip today had been too much for the jounin, and now he thought Iruka was someone else. But the words had taken up residence just south of Iruka's navel, sending threads of lightning lower, and truly outrageous images north to his brain. He pressed his lips together, harder, because he had to answer, but any answer that came out of his mouth right now was going to be the wrong one.

His mouth went dry and wet at the same time, wanting to taste the man's skin, to trace every curve. Iruka's logical mind, damn it to hell, wasn't helping to stop Iruka's other brain's spastic image-generation. Finally, he just chuckled, hoping he didn't sound that breathless, and leaned closer to Kakash's ear. "As wonderful as that sounds, Kakashi-sensei, don't you think you should wait until you're healed before doing something like that?"

Kakashi could barely suppress a groan. "Nnn... Are you saying you want to... to..." He bit his lip and leaned a little closer to murmur in Iruka's ear. His voice was a few steps short of dripping with sex and want. "Do you want to see me pinned down beneath you, moaning with want, as you lick every inch of my skin, Iruka-sensei...?"

Iruka-sensei. That meant Kakashi wasn't hallucinating. And Kakashi's voice... if it weren't for that mask, Iruka would have felt Kakashi's breath on his ear, the man was that close. Gods, yes Iruka wanted it! It didn't help that Kakashi thought he meant what he was saying.

He's sick, he's tired. He's rude and petulant. He's bored. Iruka went through every reason he could to pull both of his brains back from this cliff they were headed over, because if he played this game with Kakashi, he was going to regret it. "I suppose it doesn't matter either way," he finally managed, pulling Kakashi up from the stool. "You're very tired, you're very weak, and we've both had a long day. Here, lean on me and let me finish before you pass out."

Kakashi leaned on Iruka, but it was a strain on his brain. It was more or less fried with the close proximity they were in. Iruka's body so warm and hard and comfortable, and oh, so delicious. He wanted him with every fibre in his body, and now that he was tired enough, he didn't guard his mouth. He was pretty sure he'd said everything of the above out loud as well. And he would be coherent enough to regret it in a couple of days.

Iruka held the yukata in one hand, frozen by the man's voice. If Kakashi said one more word, just one more, Iruka knew he wouldn't be able to stop. "Don't say anything, Kakashi," he groaned, his voice thick and low. "Please. Don't say another word." He slid the yukata over Kakashi's arms, one at a time, then reached for the towel around Kakashi's hips. He had to get Kakashi dry, he had to get him settled into his bed so they both could sleep and, hopefully, Kakashi wouldn't remember any of this in the morning. Iruka knew he would never forget, but if Kakashi said one more word about this right now...

"No, no, I mean it Iruka... I..." Screw it. He blushed furiously, and was very happy he had his mask. When he next spoke, his voice sounded a little small and helpless, his face was turned down, but his eyes were painfully sincere. "I want you. Whenever I see you I just want to pull you down and kiss you senseless. And I hate every minute of it, because it's so damn frustrating. You are frustrating. But... I just..." He leaned closer, nuzzling the side of Iruka's face. "I just want to be close to you, to feel you... You're so warm and alive, and you're such a beautiful person."

I am scum, Iruka thought, even as he picked Kakashi up, forgetting about the wet towels and their dinner in the icebox, waiting to be cooked. I deserve every bad thing that happens to me, he thought, as he carried Kakashi out of the kitchen, down the hall and laid him down on the bed. The room was warm now, not that Iruka noticed because his skin was white hot. I will probably die tomorrow. And he wasn't really too upset, because even if Kakashi was toying with him, even if Kakashi was sick and injured, Iruka couldn't stop. He was a terrible person, taking advantage of Kakashi's feelings like this, when he didn't even know if he could return those feelings.

He pulled back, staring down at the man beneath him, drinking in every centimeter of skin as he removed the yukata and tossed it onto the floor. He was still dressed, although he'd discarded his vest earlier and unwrapped his legs before he started moving the bookcase. He took a final, deep breath, and leaned closer, pulled Kakashi's mask aside and pressed his lips to Kakashi's with a long, low groan.

Kakashi could vaguely hear himself whimper through the heavy and rapid beat of his pulse. His cock was growing harder by the second as he parted his lips and slipped his tongue into Iruka's mouth. It was difficult, but he managed to somehow bring his hands up and tangle them in Iruka's hair, pulling the beautiful man closer to him, kissing him as if his entire life depended on it.

Nothing mattered anymore. The world could go on around him, for all he cared, or it could stop. Just so long as Iruka continued kissing him, as long as he could still feel his body this close and touch that lovely, thick, brown hair. So long as Iruka's tongue was in his mouth, Kakashi would be in heaven.

Too easy, Iruka thought. It would be too easy to believe Kakashi's words, because feeling Kakashi's mouth against his, sucking Iruka's tongue deeper, and Kakashi's hands in his hair, 

Iruka could almost believe. But he couldn't let this go too far, and he supposed he had only himself to blame. If anything, the return of Kakashi's sex drive was a welcome signal of healing. Iruka groaned again when he felt teeth against his lip, nipping gently.

He pulled one of Kakashi's wrists up and rolled, taking both men to the center of the bed, on their sides. Now he didn't have to worry about crushing the man; he was fairly sure he outweighed Kakashi, and if it left more of Kakashi's skin exposed, Iruka wasn't going to complain. His free hand was more than happy to wander off on its own, skipping up one thin arm, tracing scars down Kakashi's back, until it curved under Kakashi's hip and pulled that pale body closer. Iruka gasped when he felt hardness against his groin, thrusting slightly, helplessly, before his mouth decided it needed to visit Kakashi's neck for a bit.

The feeling of Iruka's lips on his neck drove Kakashi into a hazy, lust-induced frenzy. He tilted his head to give Iruka more skin to lick, nip and kiss at, encouraging his caresses. His hips rolled slowly, craving more friction for his throbbing cock. The lack of skin-on-skin contact was frustrating to him. "Iruka... Too much clothing."

The statement was mumbled and slightly slurred. He was dizzy with lust and exhaustion, but his libido won out. Sex wasn't something he got a lot of because of his trust issues, but with Iruka, it was okay. He trusted the beautiful chuunin.

One hand slipped from Iruka's hair to trail down his front, tugging at the front of his pants. He wanted him to remove his clothes. Wanted to feel him hot and naked against himself. Kakashi moaned huskily as teeth nipped at his pulse point. "Iruka... Want you... Want more..."

Kakashi's desperate voice above his head sent warning bells to Iruka's brain, even as the hand on his pants... fuck, that felt good. But Iruka's brain was trained to take over. If the clothes came off, Iruka wouldn't be able to stop, and his brain was telling him Kakashi was still injured, no matter what Kakashi himself was saying. A shirt, he decided, shifting free of Kakashi's hand. He could do a shirt. Maybe unbutton a few buttons on his pants, because Kakashi's hand was getting pretty insistent. He pushed Kakashi's leg down off his hip and rolled them back over, straddling Kakashi as he fought free of his shirt, pulling his hair tie out at the same time. His hitai-ate had disappeared somewhere between the kitchen and the bedroom.

Kakashi stared up at the god sitting on top of him. His hands had a will of their own, not minding his general, if temporary, weakness. They slid up to touch that gorgeous, tan torso, fingertips gently brushing over scars, tweaking nipples, before sliding down again to rest at Iruka's hips. "You're beautiful," he murmured, his voice slightly breathless and choked, as if struggling with the words.

One more taste, and then he would stop this. Iruka grabbed Kakashi's wrists again, running his tongue and teeth over the calloused fingers and surprisingly smooth palms, before pinning them above Kakashi's head and pressing his mouth against Kakashi's. He was delirious, feeling every gasp and moan of the man in his blood and bones, every press of tongue against his driving him on until his entire body was one giant ball of want. He shifted closer, until he felt Kakashi's ribs pressing against his skin, and he couldn't tell whose heart was beating faster.

Arching up to feel Iruka's body pressed closer to his, Kakashi didn't have a mind for his pains. 

He just wanted to continue this, continue kissing Iruka, grinding against him, until the world fell to pieces around them. He kept hearing soft, husky moans and groans, and was unable to decide whether they were his voice or Iruka's.

He twined his tongue with Iruka's and sucked it deeper into his mouth, licking the hot, wet muscle teasingly. The pain was far away now, drugged down by the aching need in his lower regions. He needed more, and let his hips buck gently against Iruka to tell him this. 'More. Give me more.'

Iruka was going to die tomorrow and he was going to die aching and breathless. Wordlessly, he let go of Kakashi's wrists and dragged his hair down Kakashi's chest, hands running along too-thin ribs and jutting hipbones. Slowly, but not stopping, because if he stopped again, if he dared lose himself in the taste of Kakashi's skin, he would hate himself for what would happen. Hate himself _more_. This way was better.

He didn't bother with preliminaries, or get-to-know-you licks, just wet his lips, then opened his mouth and slid it down Kakashi's cock, not bothering to hold Kakashi's hips still because he deserved to choke, to gag, for daring to even pretend Kakashi wanted this from him. His tongue knew what to do, swishing from side to side, coating Kakashi with his saliva, until he pulled back up again.

This time, he pushed down harder, lips curled over teeth, throat relaxed, and sucked hard, hands clenched against the bedspread, arms straining to hold himself up. He wouldn't think about how he learned this, wouldn't think about that man, because he was dead, and Iruka wasn't sorry about it. But this was a skill, like any other, and Iruka had learned that even the most seemingly useless skill might come in handy one day. Like now, when he heard Kakashi's voice so faint above his head, and he could feel Kakashi's body shaking. Iruka groaned, not bothering to hide how much he wanted this, because Kakashi was going to kill him in the morning, when he remembered what Iruka had done.

Kakashi's eyes flew open, then shut tightly as he let out a loud, wanton mix between a moan and a groan. Iruka's mouth around his cock made him see stars, and his hips bucked involuntarily, desperate for more friction. He squirmed on the bed, hands tangling in long, brown locks, tugging gently, coaxing him on.

_"Iruka... _Oh, gods... _More_!" The heated murmur cut through the thick air like a knife, promising passion for years to come. When he felt Iruka's tongue probe the underside of his cock, his mind shut down. It wouldn't be long until he came.

Iruka pushed his mouth down harder, meeting Kakashi's hips, uncaring of the tears in his eyes or the strain on his arms. He tilted his head up, eyes wide open, staring at the man on the bed, committing every shade of skin and every plane of muscle to memory. Kakashi's face, his lips, his eye, the other somehow still hidden under a barely-secured hitai-ate. Iruka would remember, even if Tsunade herself tried to wipe it from his mind. He would remember this in his bones.

He opened his mouth wider, and he barely had to move now, because Kakashi's feet had found some leverage so Iruka just let it happen. Let Kakashi slam into his mouth until he tasted the tang an instant before Kakashi's face flushed and his body went rigid.

Kakashi's eyes rolled back into his head and his face scrunched up in pained pleasure or pleasurable pain - he wasn't sure which - as he came. Iruka's name tore out of his mouth, seeming to rip his throat with the force of his scream. He spilled down the beautiful chuunin's throat, back arched, body convulsing, before finally dropping to the bed, passed out from the strain.

--

Beneath a tree just outside the little house, a large wolf lifted its head. Its grey eyes were amused as it sensed the activities in the bedroom.

Ryu gave a slight chuckle, shifting behind his apparent wolf form. "Kakashi, I envy you. Where do you find the energy to have sex in the state you're in?" He shook his head and leaned back against the trunk of the tree, letting the wolf lower its head, continuing his silent and secret vigil.

--

When Kakashi passed out, Iruka was still swallowing. He groaned to himself because Kakashi's cock continued twitching in his mouth. But it was better this way; Iruka didn't think he could hear another word from Kakashi without screaming in frustration. He pulled back, using his tongue to remove every bit of evidence he could, feeling his own body respond with a vicious throb. He wouldn't think about what that said about him, that he could still get pleasure from Kakashi's body when Kakashi wasn't even conscious.

He found his shirt and used it to wipe the sweat from Kakashi's body, then slid the yukata into place gently, tying it loosely. He straightened Kakashi's hitai-ate, because he didn't know if the man slept in it or not. One last, soft kiss and Iruka pulled the mask back up, sighing because he doubted he would ever see that face again. Tossing his shirt onto the table in the main room, Iruka stared at the kunai on the small chest in the corner. It was the one Iruka had taken from him last week. He left it on the bedside table.

The bathroom was a mess, so Iruka spent some time cleaning it up, hanging up the wet towels and covering the tub. He needed a bath, but maybe in the morning. Desire still pounded against his temples, but Iruka pushed it aside. He felt sick enough as it was - masturbating to the image of Kakashi screaming his name wouldn't help. He could make their dinner in the morning and call it breakfast. Kakashi should be hungry by then. Instead, Iruka formed some left-over rice into balls and placed them on a plate, covering them - a quick snack in case Kakashi woke up.

He pulled out the futon and covered it with the blankets, then set his alarm clock. The ungraded papers were still on the kitchen table. He would just have to work harder tomorrow. Maybe the mission room would be slow. If Kakashi remembered what Iruka had done, he wouldn't be there anyway.

The house was dark, and Iruka's room was cold, even under two blankets. He considered moving his futon into Kakashi's room, but dismissed that thought immediately. He deserved to suffer. Maybe he would catch a cold and Tsunade would have to find someone else to take his place. But then he felt guilty about that as well, because he had promised to take care of Kakashi. He had promised...

With a growl, Iruka kicked off the blankets and pulled open the door to the porch. His skin 

was still hot and he couldn't sleep. All he could see was Kakashi's body writhing, all he could hear was Kakashi's voice in his head, telling him things Iruka could never believe. Especially not now, not after this. If Kakashi really meant what he said...

He slipped outside, sighing when the cool air hit his skin. With two jumps he was on the roof, laying back against cold tiles and watching the cloudy sky. No moon, but he could see a few stars peeking out. It was quiet except for the wind, brushing Iruka's hair across his face and tickling his shoulders and neck with it. Damn, even the wind was teasing him now. The only bright spot, Iruka decided, was Kakashi was feeling better. But how much of that had Iruka undone tonight?

The faint scent of lavender wafted with the wind, and the sound of soft footsteps behind him alerted him to another presence on the roof.

"Iruka-sensei." A tall man sat down next to him, just as big as Tomohiro had been. A long braid of raven hair coiled on the roof at his hip. "You beat yourself up too much." His voice was soothing, deep, dark and gentle, like cool, silken sheets on a hot summer night.

Iruka frowned, staring up at the man next to him. "What?"

"So Sadako says. I am able to read it on you, as well. And Tomohiro told me interesting things." He looked at him from behind the slits in his mask - the face of a wolf. "Why? Why must you torture yourself needlessly?"

He turned his face to look up at the stars. "I admire your strength and your skill with children, Iruka-sensei. You don't back down from a challenge, and you are always kind - even if they frighten you." Pausing for a second, he picked up a fallen leaf and looked at it. "Kakashi... He is sincere."

"Sincere." He recognized this man, knew that smell, and it didn't help to have a picture of the man in his head. But Mitsuko's father remained masked, and Iruka knew his duty. He would not address the man by name. "ANBU-san, how can he be sincere? If he knew..."

Iruka couldn't continue. Every time he thought about it, he was more and more disgusted. Why hadn't he just done his job and put Kakashi to bed? He was a better shinobi than that. He was trained to put aside his feelings and desires. Sure, as an Academy instructor, he didn't need to do so, and no one cared if he showed his feelings or lost his temper in the village. Sandaime had encouraged it, always saying it was actually one of Iruka's strengths. Iruka didn't feel strong, no, he felt weak and powerless against his own willful body and desires so base even a genin should have been able to overcome them. He wasn't fourteen anymore, desperate for affection, so desperate he'd convinced himself he loved Norio-sensei and never thought to question why a man close to thirty would even _look_ at a genin like that, much less accept, and eventually demand, more physical expressions of that love. In a way, he had loved the man, loved him enough to protest when Sandaime questioned him, accepting full responsibility for his actions. He had started it, and he had chosen to continue it. The jounin wasn't his teacher, and Chinako-sensei didn't seem to care what he did as long as it didn't interefere with their missions and training.

Until Iruka had realized he wasn't the only one, and the man laughed at him for his naivete. And then he'd been dropped, like a broken sandal, easily replaced but not so easily mended. 

He hadn't talked to the man again until his team was paired with Norio-sensei's four months later. They were all chuunin by then, all except Susumu-chan. It hadn't been his first A-rank mission, just the first one that went wrong. He had been captured, so had Susumu-chan. How they had managed to get Norio-sensei as well, he never knew. Iruka could only remember the screams as the man died, tied down two cells down from Iruka's, and he'd been glad. He and Susumu-chan had used the screams, had used a man's death, to mask their escape. Iruka never even looked back. If Kakashi ever found out he'd left a teammate to die...

Afterwards, he'd felt free, and even before the shock of the man's death had worn off Iruka was pursuing others, mindlessly giving into his own lust, but wary of anything else. Until the morning he woke up next to a friend, someone he'd actually cared about, but not like that. He promised himself he would never give into his body like that again, would never use another person like that. And he hadn't, not for years, until tonight.

Tearing his thoughts away from that path, Iruka stared up at the sky. Uncaring that he was shirtless, and his pants were only half-buttoned in front of one of his pupil's parents. His skin still burned for Kakashi, and his stomach still churned in disgust. "How can he be sincere when he doesn't even know me?" he sighed, eyes shut tightly.

Ryu looked at Iruka for a long time, eyebrows furrowed behind his mask of porcelain. "If he knew... He would be shocked, yes. But given time, I think he would understand. Kakashi was not always the way he is now." Iruka's thoughts were so easy to read, his reactions so easily predicted. "Iruka-sensei... You were young. Young people make mistakes. As for... That thing before..." He grabbed a fistful of braid and played with it. "You were hurt. And you saved the weakest member of your team. Norio-sensei was a grown man, and could have taken care of himself. Do not hold a grudge on yourself for something old."

Looking up at the stars again, Ryu sighed. "Kakashi... He is afraid to let anyone in, but at the same time he fears being alone." He had to make Iruka understand this little part. It was important. "I have known him for a long time, Iruka-sensei. What happened with Minato-sama and Obito-kun left a deep scar." Ryu let out another heavy sigh. "He trusts you, Iruka-sensei. And he cares. If you take my advice, you will let him care. You need it. Your heart is scarred and needs healing."

Iruka sighed, opening his eyes and staring up at the large man hovering over him. "What if I hurt him? I've already abused his trust. I don't know what I feel." And that was the root of his disgust, because he didn't know what he felt for Kakashi. This man was telling him Kakashi really did love him, and Iruka couldn't even think about it, because if he did, he was even worse than Norio-sensei.

Ryu actually had the audacity to laugh. "Didn't you know, Iruka-sensei," he shifted his mask to keep his face hidden, but still be able to wipe away tears, "that love is companion to hurt? And... Yes, so maybe you overstepped your bounds, but Kakashi didn't mind it." He resettled the mask over his face and narrowed his eyes. "And no one, not a single person, is more despicable than someone who violates the trust of a child. So don't even dare think that thought again."

"I wasn't a child, ANBU-san. Not like you're thinking. Yes, he took advantage of me, but not as a child. And I did love him." He pushed up from the roof, still staring into the black sky. Could he trust Kakashi? Could he trust himself?

"You can." Ryu was suddenly standing, a large hand covering most of Iruka's shoulder. It was warm, gentle and gracefully built, like an artist's hand. "But only if you allow yourself. Stop wallowing, it doesn't suit you."

Iruka nodded, still thinking. He hadn't thought about these things in years, not like this, for that very reason. It dragged him down, and he never found any new answers. He'd pushed it aside, focusing on his job, his students. "Where is the line, ANBU-san?" he asked softly, smiling. "Where does reflection end and wallowing begin?"

"Reflection turns to wallowing when it affects one or more parts of your life. In your case, you will not let yourself love or be loved in return." Ryu gave a slow smile, which he felt sad Iruka couldn't see. "Step out of your shell, Iruka-sensei. You will know it when you make the right choice." With those enigmatic words, he took two steps back and disappeared.

--

Well, it took some time, but now you guys know who the wolf is! XD

Please, leave a review.


	14. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I wish, okay? Though Ryu and his family belongs to me. Norio belongs to Nobiki.

**Warnings:** Ibiki and Ryu equals bad, bad humour.

--

**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 13**

--

Iruka woke up before his alarm went off. To be accurate, he hadn't really slept - each time he finally felt himself drifting off, images of a pale man would flash in front of him, dragging Iruka back up from sleep. He might as well get up. His work was still on the kitchen table. It wasn't comfortable, but if he lit a lamp now, it might wake up Kakashi. Iruka preferred to put off that confrontation as long as possible. He wasn't any closer to an answer, but he thought, if given some time, he might be able to at least _think_ about it.

Within thirty minutes, Iruka was satisfied. The papers were graded, their breakfast/dinner was cooking and the bath was heating up. The morning air was chilly, and Iruka hoped Kakashi had been warm enough. He would have to wait another hour or so to see if the sky cleared up - no sense in taking down the shutters if it was going to stay cold all day. He rolled his neck and hunched his shoulders, feeling the stretch. There was something he could do, he decided, grabbing his sandals from the entry. He should have thought of it last night - he always slept better after a good, long workout. There wasn't much room in the small garden, but enough to run through two or three kata forms. It was either that, or meditation, and Iruka didn't think that would do him much good right now.

--

Kakashi was shivering and all the joints in his body seemed to cooperate to give him as much pain as possible. He groaned and tried to roll over to shut out the light, but found it impossible. He was infinitely stuck. "What happened yesterday?" he mused to himself, trying to think of what could have caused the excruciating pain.

Then it all came crashing in with a tidal wave, and he could feel his cock spring to life again. He gave a low groan, curling up. Had that really happened? Did Iruka really suck his cock?

No... He couldn't have. Iruka wouldn't have done that... would he? Kakashi could remember the feeling of that hot, wet mouth around his cock, could remember the way Iruka's tongue tasted, the way his body felt... Was that a trick of his mind? Was it a dream? If it was... It certainly was the best dream he'd had.

Ever.

Kakashi smiled to himself, quite happy to just bask in the thought of such a wonderful dream. He snuggled further into the blankets and, after a short while, fell asleep.

--

The sky was cloudy when Iruka left the Academy, and the wind was blowing harder. It was going to get even colder tonight than yesterday. Iruka cursed his weather sense - he had taken 

the shutters off the porch before he left the house that morning, and it hadn't been this cold when he went back at lunch. Kakashi was probably freezing by now. There wasn't any way around it - Iruka would have to find a replacement, or beg Tsunade to let him change shifts. Ryu couldn't be there all the time, and Iruka didn't know if any other ANBU were watching, or if they would bother to help.

He walked into the mission room and stopped. Kotetsu was sitting in his place, scowling. "So you did show up after all."

Iruka took a deep breath, knowing the man was going to hate him for this. "I need to go home for a bit. Do you think you could take my shift?"

"What? I don't have time to sit here! I have guard duty later!"

"Please? Kotetsu, please? Just for an hour. Maybe two. It's cold - I need to shut up the house and start the heater. And he hasn't eaten since yesterday." Iruka's voice was low but frantic.

"He'll be happy to, Iruka." Both men shot to attention at the woman's harsh voice from the doorway. "In fact, I think Kotetsu should take all of your shifts until your other job is finished."

Iruka wondered what Kotetsu had done to annoy their Hokage this time. His colleague wasn't known for keeping his complaints to himself. Apparently something Iruka shared with him.

"Iruka, meet me at my office. Kotetsu, someone from the council will be sitting in for me. Have fun!"

"Sorry," Iruka murmured as he left the room. He would make it up later, when Kakashi was better.

--

"So, you haven't forgotten the appointment Wednesday?"

Iruka shook his head, frowning. "I haven't forgotten. I just hope he hasn't caught a cold from the sudden weather change."

Tsunade nodded as she took a seat behind her desk. "Things aren't going so well, are they?" She didn't bother waiting for an reply. It had only been a week and Iruka looked worn out. "You're overdoing the chakra exchange."

"No. I mean, I haven't been doing it at all, not since that last time. It's just, taking care of him, and the house, and my job. I don't know how my parents managed." He shrugged and laughed. "I know as shinobi we're supposed to be ready for anything, but I never thought I would be so used to running hot water and insulation."

"It is rather primitive, but it was the only house available." Tsunade stood up and walked to the door. "Get me Ibiki," she barked to a man standing outside. She grinned at Iruka's gasp of surprise. "Shizune isn't available. I know Ibiki can teach you what I want you to know." She pulled a textbook from the stack on her desk. "I've been doing some research. I think I've found a good compromise."

Iruka wasn't sure he liked the look in Tsunade's eyes, but he knew better than to open his mouth.

"Take this with you and read chapter 17, especially section 4. I'll send Ibiki by later. I think even Kakashi is a little afraid of him, so you shouldn't have any problems."

Iruka bowed and left, clutching the textbook. He wasn't even going to ask what he was supposed to learn from someone known for torture.

--

Kakashi woke up around three in the afternoon, two hours after he last had fallen asleep. His stomach was growling loudly, he was bored and exhausted, and he didn't really know if he could make the trek into the kitchen all alone. But, he'd be damned if he stayed in that bed for even a second longer. He was not a poor, little cripple, and he could take care of himself.

He struggled to a sitting position and lowered his feet to the ground. Then he had to pause for a moment as vertigo assaulted him, and he swayed. After sitting for about three minutes, he struggled to stand. It was rather unsuccessful until the third attempt. He managed to steady himself on the wall, and began his slow, rather wobbly trek to the kitchen.

It took him the good part of thirty minutes, and he was even more tired when he got there. The only problem was that he had to let go of the wall in order to get to the food, and he was uncertain of whether or not he would be able to make it. I won't know until I try, he thought, and released the wall.

He quickly realised that it was the wrong thing to do, as he toppled gracelessly to the floor. The impact jolted sore muscles, and he winced with pain, fighting the urge to curl up into a ball and cry like a baby. Hunger was eating at his stomach, and he _was_ going to get to the food, damnit. He _had_ to.

So he started to crawl. It took time and fried his patience, but he made it, eventually, and grabbed onto the handle of a drawer, trying to climb up the bench and to a standing position. He managed to lift himself up a little way, but then a burning pain ran through his arm and along his left side, forcing him to flop down to the floor again. Crud. He'd have to wait for Iruka to come back and save him... Why couldn't he seem to manage anything without the chuunin anymore?

--

As Iruka walked out of the Hokage Tower and started to head down the street, a small girl of about ten stepped out in front of him. It was Sadako-chan, one of his students, the twin sister of Mitsuko. Unlike her sister, Sadako was shy, but with an incredibly strong will and strong opinions. She was gentle and kind, and her eyes were a clear, slate grey. "Hello, Iruka-sensei," she greeted shyly, shuffling her feet.

"Sadako-chan! Hello. I'm sorry, I can't stop for long. Did you need something?"

"Uh-m... Well..." She twisted slightly, looking up at him through her long, black bangs. "I went by the cottage earlier, because something told me I had to go there. Hatake-san is out cold on the kitchen floor."

Iruka's blood pooled in his feet as he tried not to panic. "Thank you, Sadako-chan, I'm on my way back there right now." He smiled, patting her hair gently. "You know, I always thought you girls took after your mother. But I see more of your father in you. I think he would be proud of you, helping out a future comrade that way." He turned to leave, gathering chakra into his feet for the fastest trip back to the house ever.

Sadako beamed with pride at his words, and smiled. "Don't worry. I put a blanket over him and set the plate down next to him in case he gets hungry. I'm not strong enough to lift him yet." She turned around, and let out a gasp and a squeal of delight, before promptly running off to hide behind a couple of crates. Hyuuga Neji walked by moments later.

--

Kakashi woke up moments before Iruka entered, and wrapped the blanket around his waist as he sat up, leaning against a cupboard. Someone had been by, and had obviously not had the time to carry him to bed. However, he thought as he munched on a piece of onigiri, they had been kind enough to drop a blanket on top of him and put a plate beside his head. His stomach gurgled happily as it received food.

"Kakashi! Kakashi-sensei!" Iruka was frantic, his chest heaving. Damn, damn, damn! First Kakashi slept through breakfast and lunch, and of course the man was hungry. But it was his fault, wasn't it? Why had he lost control of himself? And why couldn't Kakashi just have waited for him to get back? He stumbled over the futon on the floor, catching himself before he crashed through the thin, paper-covered door. "Kakashi!"

Kakashi almost choked on his onigiri. Why was Iruka so agitated? Kakashi blinked for a moment, then blushed, remembering his dream. "Uhm... Iruka? What's wrong?"

Iruka stumbled into the kitchen, sliding onto the floor in front of Kakashi. His hands curled around Kakashi's face, eyes wide. "Gods, I was so worried! I heard you fell! How long were you here? Are you hurt? What were you thinking?"

"Uhm..." Kakashi swallowed, looking everywhere but Iruka's face. He tried not to tremble at the warm hands cupping his face, and failed at fighting down his blush. "I... was hungry?" He cocked his head to the side and finally locked gazes with Iruka. "So... I went in here to get some food, but I fell and decided to sleep, since I couldn't get up, and then, when I woke up, someone had set food beside me and put a blanket over me."

Chest still heaving from his panicked sprint, Iruka busied himself pushing aside the blanket and the yukata, checking Kakashi for any new cuts and bruises. "That was Sadako-chan. Um. Uzuki-san's daughter. She came to find me." He bent closer, over Kakashi's lap, tracing a darkening bruise on one of Kakashi's recently-bared thighs. Tsunade was going to pummel them both into paste if she saw that. "I, ah, met him last night. He's very... tall."

Kakashi's other head decided to completely disregard the fact that Iruka mentioned Ryu. No, as the chuunin bent over his lap, he only remembered his dream - the dream that had been all to real. He could feel his groin stirring again, and that was a bad thing - he wasn't wearing underwear. "Uhm... Iruka?" His voice was barely above a squeak. "I... you shouldn't, I mean... I..." He swallowed hard and tried to focus on not getting hard, but everything was going against him. The memory of Iruka, sucking his cock... "Iruka... Fuck... That wasn't a dream, 

was it? You really did do it!"

And there it was. The thing Iruka had been dreading, obsessing over since last night. He could try and deny it, claim it really was a dream. Or that Kakashi was hallucinating. But it was bad enough he'd taken advantage of Kakashi, he wouldn't add denial on top of it.

He dropped his head and pulled back, kneeling in front of Kakashi on the floor. "It wasn't a dream."

"Hey, hey, hey... Iruka... Don't look so sad." It felt as if a thousand knives stabbed his gut at once. "I... I wish..." He tried to gather his wits, but his brain wouldn't listen. How could Iruka look so sad? Why? "Iruka... Why do you look so sad?"

"I promised," Iruka began, but he could feel his throat closing up. He took a deep breath to try again. "I promised myself years ago I would never do that. I would never take advantage of a friend like that, never again. You trusted me, and I..." He pushed his forehead to the floor, bowing low. "I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei. I have no excuse for my actions."

A squawk was the only sound Kakashi was able to manage, and he quickly slapped a hand over his mouth, realising he'd sounded like a hen. "Iruka!" He sighed, looking down. "So... That is all I am to you, after all, hm?" He frowned, then looked up again. Reaching out, he nudged Iruka's shoulder. "Iruka, get up. I don't want you to kneel down because of something consensual like this. It was mutual. I'm a grown man, and so are you."

Iruka tensed but did not look up. What could he say? Kakashi could say it was consensual all he wanted, but he was sick, and Iruka was there to take care of him. "I'm your caretaker, Kakashi-sensei," he finally whispered, his voice shaky. "It's my job and my privilege to look after you until you are better. I... let my desires get in the way of that job."

"Oh, fuck it, Iruka!" Kakashi growled, shoving his mask down. He reached out and tipped the chuunin's chin up, glaring into his eyes. "Fuck you and your damned sense of honor! I know, you weren't supposed to do that, right? But that doesn't change the fact that you wanted to - I wanted to!" Kakashi almost shoved him away before he leaned in and kissed him forcefully. Leaving Iruka breathless, after only a short moment, he leaned back and tugged his mask back up with a frustrated growl. "You don't see beyond your own misconceptions."

Seconds ticked by, and Iruka sat there, staring at Kakashi, his mind racing. He couldn't answer, he had no clue what to say or how to respond. Why was Kakashi angry with him, exactly? Did or did he not love Iruka? Did he or did he not want Iruka? He opened his mouth and closed it again, finally shaking his head. He could always fall back on his duty. "It's not healthy for you to be on the floor. You need to get back in bed. We're having company later."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Iruka... Don't sneak."

"Excuse me? I don't understand what you mean."

"I'm trying to tell you something, damnit!" Kakashi growled again, then took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Iruka... Sweet, lovely Iruka... You are so fucking _frustrating_ I just want to tear my hair out over you!" Letting out an anguished sigh, Kakashi looked at the chuunin with such pain in it eyes it could have made a cactus cry. "I... I love you, damnit..." He trailed 

off, lowering his head. "I love you... And I want you... Take it, or leave it... It wouldn't matter either way. I'd be alone to begin with, and end up alone in the end. No biggie."

"Kakashi." Iruka's chest was too tight, and it was hard to breathe. He wanted... he wanted to pull Kakashi against him and promise he would do whatever he could so that wouldn't happen. He didn't know his own heart, but Kakashi didn't seem to mind.

He reached out, snagging Kakashi's wrist, biting his teeth at the spark of memory it ignited. "I was sure you were going to kill me," he admitted finally, lightly tracing his fingers along the wrist even as he held it still. "And I didn't care. I deserved it. I know how you feel. I just don't know how I feel. And even knowing that, I went ahead and did it anyway. I _used_ you! Doesn't that bother you? Is that what you want?"

"Well, when you put it like that..." Kakashi sighed, looking off to the side. His voice had regained its normal, dull tone. "Yes. It's what I wanted."

Iruka pushed up, tugging Kakashi closer to him, wrapping his other hand around Kakashi's waist. His head was against Kakashi's, lips nearly touching the one visible ear. "And yet you can still say you love me? Knowing all of this? You can still say this is what you want?"

"If it allows me to... Damn, that sounds too pathetic, but it's true. As long as I can stay close to you." Kakashi murmured, leaning against Iruka. He had struggled briefly, due to surprise, but he was content just to be near him. Fuck, he had never thought he'd find himself reduced to a quivering pile of unrequited love because of a man before. The tough and stoic Hatake Kakashi, hankering away for a pretty, chuunin school teacher.

"I don't deserve you," Iruka whispered, wrapping Kakashi's arm over his shoulder and pressing closer. "I could never deserve you." His heart was thumping, and he felt a little dizzy as all the fear and tension drained away. "But I'll try."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Kakashi closed his eyes and wrapped his arms tightly around Iruka's body. "I love you so much, Iruka..." He pulled him closer, breathing in his scent. "I will try to earn your trust and love in return."

His heart was beating madly, like it was preparing to jump straight out of his chest. His palms were sweaty and his mouth was dry, and his legs were aching because sitting on the floor really wasn't a good idea. "On a side note... Futon or bed? I think I need it."

Iruka nodded, lifting Kakashi gently until he was standing. This was still his job, and he couldn't mess it up just because his mind went haywire thinking about what could have happened. What still might happen. "We're having company later. How about the futon? Then I can put the heater in the main room and we'll all be comfortable."

"Company? Who?" Kakashi looked at Iruka. Suddenly, he realised that the younger man had asked him a question. "Oh... Yeah, the futon will do."

"Morino-san. You know him, right?" Iruka still had his arm around Kakashi's waist as he helped the man to the main room, slowly lowering him onto the futon.

Kakashi almost tried to tug Iruka down onto the futon as well. "Uh huh. Creepy guy. Lots of 

scars. ANBU." He smiled. "He's a nice guy. Why's he coming?"

"Impromptu training session. Something to help you recover. Godaime said it was a simpler method of chakra exchange. The other way, it's, um, a rather involved process." Iruka flushed, remembering. Sure, it was nothing compared to what he'd done last night, but it had been done without Kakashi's consent or knowledge. "Kakashi-sensei--" Iruka shook his head. It wasn't something he wanted to confess, not just yet. "I'm going to put up the shutters before I start reading."

"Hmmm... Okay, but don't turn out the light. I want to be able to watch your pretty face." Kakashi flashed an outrageous wink - a little less cheesy than the one Guy had flashed him earlier, but still outrageous. "Not to mention that body. Too bad you have to wear clothes."

"No chance of that. No electric lights, remember? If I turn this lantern off, we'll be sitting in the dark. Hard to read, don't you think?" Iruka decided he was just going to ignore any strange thing that came out of Kakashi's mouth. He promised to listen, but he didn't have to respond.

"Awww... Too bad." Kakashi snuggled under the covers and looked at Iruka - _his_ Iruka - as the chuunin left the room. He smiled to himself, quite happy with his catch. Of course, things were nowhere near as he wanted them yet, but given time, it would work out for the better.

--

"Oh, Ibikiiii... Where are you headed?" A singsong voice drifted down from the nearby trees, at the same time as a soft caress flitted across the tall, scarred man's mind.

"I'm going to visit your wife," Ibiki snarled back. Why did Ryu even bother asking when he already knew? "She said she wanted a real man tonight."

"Awww... Maybe we could have a threesome, then? I haven't had a real man in _ages_!" Ryu jumped down from the tree, his long, silken black strands fanning out behind him and falling around his torso like a waterfall when he touched down. He was wearing regular jonin gear this evening, as he was off ANBU duty.

Ibiki sighed and rubbed his eyes. Fucking training session on top of a long day, after an even longer week. Next time he wanted a textbook, he would buy it himself and let the department reimburse him. "Not another word, pervert. I don't want to know."

Ryu chuckled. "Oh, I thought it was a nice idea." He put an arm around Ibiki, leaning on the shorter man's shoulders. "Just picture it, me, on my knees in front of you, and you fucking me like a wild beast..." He let out a sigh of rapture, mocking. "So... Going to teach Iruka that technique, hm? Not a wise idea in your condition. I'll enjoy sending you images." Flashing a grin, he stepped back.

"Just keep that image of me fucking you in my head and I'll get through it just fine."

"Oh, you wound me." Ryu put a hand to his forehead, seemingly sad. Then he turned his face back up and grinned. Wickedly. "I am certain I have better images to send you, Ibiki..."

Ibiki shook his head. "Not necessary. I have all the images I need, thanks." He didn't trust Ryu as far as he could throw him, which admittedly was not far at all because Ryu always felt him 

coming.

Putting banter aside, Ryu narrowed his eyes. "Ibiki... You are aware of the urgency of this matter?"

"I am. I talked to Riku last week. I'm the one that got him released for the New Year, you know. Even if Tsunade-sama didn't need Kakashi back pronto, Riku says _we_ need him." Ibiki hated not knowing exactly what was going to happen, but at least they wouldn't be completely blindsided like they'd been at the Chuunin Exams. "But tossing images in my head isn't exactly going to help."

"No, I am aware of that. Only said it to tease you." Ryu walked a bit further ahead, towards the house where Iruka and Kakashi now stayed. "Ibiki... I am worried. There... Is something drawing near, something... Something horrible." He turned to look at him. "If I should die, take care of my children and my wife? I could ask one of my brothers, but they will have a lot to worry about on their own."

"Always, Ryu. Although I doubt Hanako would let me anywhere near your children after I dropped Sadako-chan on her head." He kept up the fast pace, confident Ryu would keep up. "Why Iruka-sensei, though? That's what I can't figure out. Why not a nurse? Or someone from ANBU, who's already trained in this? It doesn't make any sense."

Smiling enigmatically, Ryu looked at the tall, scarred man. "Kakashi trusts him. He wouldn't let a nurse do that. Nor would he let any of us... Also... It is the Uzuki way of meddling."

Ibiki stopped and glared up at the man next to him. "Spill. What kind of hornet's nest am I walking into?"

Ryu actually giggled. "The sweet, honey-filled poison of new love, Ibiki."

Not many things shocked Ibiki, but his mouth fell open this time. "You... can't be... serious. Iruka and... Kakashi?" His mind flashed through everything he knew about both men, quite a lot more than he should truthfully. But he'd known Kakashi just about forever, and he'd been following Iruka's life ever since he'd been part of the first inquest, when the boy's relationship with Norio was discovered. "That's... crazy. They... Kakashi, he doesn't even... and Iruka! Gods, man, do you even know about him?"

"Of course I know. What do you take me for?" The large man cocked an eyebrow. "I know everything about what happened back then. Iruka more or less forced it into my mind last night, after he did unmentionable things to Kakashi."

Ibiki choked, still horrified by the idea of the two men together, then continued to walk. "Unmentionable, huh? I doubt that. Unless it involved a ping pong paddle and a billy goat, nothing is unmentionable to you."

"Well... Unmentionable to _you_, anyway. He gave him a rather good blowjob, by the sounds of it." Ryu grinned, enjoying the reactions he managed to get from Ibiki thoroughly.

"Nnnn." Ibiki felt his stomach turn, knowing exactly where Iruka would have learned something like that. "I hope you know what you're playing at, Ryu."

"Of course I do," Ryu snapped. "I don't like what Norio did any better than you do, so shut up. Goat-fancier."

"_You_ are not supposed to know anything _about _Norio. Ass-licker." Ibiki shook his head, laughing finally. "Fuck, that was a wild night. Too bad you went and got married. Whatever happened to those two blonde waitresses?" He couldn't remember their names, could barely remember what had happened after he and Ryu had polished off a case of vodka. But he remembered enough.

"Eeehhh... I know enough. And those two blonde waitresses? I have _no_ idea." Ryu chuckled. That had been a good night, indeed. "Ten years, now, Ibiki. I've been married ten years, and she loves me." This still managed to knock him senseless, the fact that this woman loved him, with all his issues.

"After... What happened to my mother. I never thought I'd let myself love a woman, but I did, and it is good." He nudged his friend. "Why don't you get married, too? Find a nice woman to take care of you?"

"You're not your father. And I'm not you. I'd rather have four or five bad women." He grinned and stroked his head, feeling the scars through his hitai-ate. "So, what do you want me to do? Since I know you didn't just drop in to chat."

Ryu sighed, looking down at his feet. "I... Want you to leave the lesson to me. I'll teach him."

"Sure, I have no problem with that. I wasn't looking forward to having to do that with a guy anyway."

"Yeah... You only felt comfortable doing that with me, huh? And now I'm married." Ryu gave a slight smile. "I think it's necessary... For Kakashi and Iruka both to be prompted into action... And Ibiki?" Biting his lip, he let out another sigh. "I... Didn't ask you to take care of my wife and kids for no reason. I... Really think I'm going to die."

"I know. I will." They stopped in front of the small house, just shy of the gravel path. "So, guess you don't need me here, then, right?"

"Nah..." The taller of the two turned to look at the house. "I don't really need you here... But it'd be nice, if we could catch up afterwards?"

"I'm going back to work. Be there all night. Drop by." Ibiki turned and left, not bothering to hide his relief. He knew far too much about Iruka's habits in bed from first-hand reports. Ryu was kidding himself if he thought a man like Kakashi would be able to handle that.

--

Chapter thirteen is now accounted for! Yay for that! And thanks to everyone who are still reading XD Makes me very, very happy, that does.

Double update, to apologize for the lack of update yesterday.


	15. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **I wish. But I'm not so lucky.

This is a tad shorter than the last chapter, and I apologize for that. Hopefully the next one won't be as short.

--

**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 14**

--

Iruka felt his eyes bug out when he reached the end of the chapter nearly an hour later. "Shit," he gasped. "How in the name of Sandaime is that _better_?" The technique itself was fairly simple, although Iruka thought the amount of skin contact required made it highly impractical. But the side effects? Iruka would never be able to sleep again. And once Kakashi started feeling better... Iruka slumped forward, banging his head on the table. "I will never open my mouth again," he chanted. "Never, ever, ever."

Kakashi lifted his head and looked at Iruka, an eyebrow arched. "Iruka? You all right over there?" He looked the beautiful face up and down and tilted his head to the side. Why was he blushing so prettily?

"Fine," Iruka mumbled, looking around carefully. Nope, no Hokage. "Please don't take this the wrong way, I'm only saying this because I'm frustrated, but do you ever wonder if Godaime is perhaps a little too high-strung to be Hokage? Maybe a little unstable? Sadistic, even?" Because this was cruel, by any definition of the word. Iruka could only be happy Anko wasn't due back for another week. She would have demanded front row seats to watch Iruka embarrass himself like this. All because he let her sing that song in public when she was drunk... Iruka almost chuckled, thinking about that, except his own situation was too dire.

"Maybe a little? But she does everything that she does for good reason, and it turns out well... If a little odd, at times." Kakashi shrugged, looking up at Iruka. "When is Mr. Tall, Bald and Sadistic going to be here?" He rolled over onto his side, slowly, so as not to hurt himself, and fixed his gaze more intently on the brown-haired chuunin, who was obviously flustered about something, and obviously didn't want to spill. Hmph. Typical.

"She didn't say. Would you like to eat dinner now, or wait until later?" Iruka pushed the book aside. He'd finished reading about it, now it was up to Ibiki to teach him how to do it.

Kakashi shrugged. "Dinner sounds nice." Trying to sit up proved difficult, and his stomach growled loudly to proclaim his hunger to the world. He didn't want to let Iruka help him up, since the chuunin had been a lot of help already, so he gave a slight growl when Iruka drew near.

Iruka stopped at the look on Kakashi's face. It looked like Kakashi's promise to let him help more only extended so far. "Okay, just yell if you need anything. I'll leave a note for Morino-san to come in." He wrote out a quick note on a sheet of paper and left to post it on the doorway.

Sighing, Kakashi looked up at Iruka. He didn't want to ask for help, so he merely pleaded with 

his one visible eye.

"Why don't you lay there for a bit? You'll be sitting up to eat later - no sense wearing yourself out now." Honestly, the man really was like a child.

Deciding that Iruka's brain must have fallen out and gotten trod on, Kakashi opted for hoisting himself up. He managed halfway, then fell down onto the futon in shock as a voice notified them of a person's arrival - not Ibiki, but Ryu.

Iruka stared up at the man in the entry, not exactly shocked, but definitely surprised. "Ah, Uzuki-san. Good evening. Kakashi-sensei is in here."

Chuckling, the tall man stepped inside. "I'm here to see _you_, not Kakashi." He smiled down at the chuunin, then slid out of his vest, revealing that the standard issue uniform sweater was quite tight on him, and not in the wrong places, either. This man was a muscled god in human shape.

"Oh? Is there a problem with one of your daughters? I was just about to make dinner. Please join us and we can talk about it."

The chuckle became a full-out laugh. "Oh, no. I'm here to teach you the medical jutsu. You know... Transferring chakra?" His eyes twinkled with mirth as he cocked an eyebrow at the chuunin, waiting for him to get the picture.

Iruka faltered as he ushered the larger man into the main room. "I, uh, thought Morino-san was supposed to be coming to do that. Did something come up?"

"Nah... He was tired, and I have more chakra originally. I hope you don't mind?" He very well knew that the chuunin would mind - just a little. However, teasing him was more fun than he could imagine.

"What exactly does this whole ordeal with chakra exchange mean? Which level is it, and what is Ryu going to teach you?" Kakashi's voice came soft and dangerous from the futon. He didn't like the idea of anyone touching _his_ Iruka. _Especially_ not perverted ANBU jonin.

Iruka picked up the textbook and handed it to Kakashi. "Chapter 17, section 4. I'll go get dinner ready." He turned to leave, assuming Ryu would be eating with them. Would this be easier with Ryu teaching him? Probably not, Iruka sighed to himself.

Kakashi sent a suspicious glare in Ryu's direction, then proceeded to read chapter 17, section 4. He had to read it three times before he could believe his eyes. Then he turned to Ryu, who was sitting nearby. "You're going to teach Iruka how to exchange chakra... Through skin contact?"

"Yes. That's it exactly." Ryu sighed, a deep, purring rumble, his eyes nearly closing as if in thought. "This kind of exchange. Mmmm, it's very... stimulating."

"Stimulating? What the fuck do you mean, _stimulating_?" If this _stimulating_ turned out to be anything but stimulating energy, Kakashi would kick Ryu out on his ass. Definitely. He wouldn't let Ryu touch Iruka anywhere... indecent.

Ryu cocked his head, a lazy, seductive smile on his face. "Read the end of the section, Kakashi. Under 'side effects'." He sighed again, watching the door to the porch. "I think I'm going to enjoy teaching."

Kakashi's gaze flitted to the section titled 'side effects'. He read the passage over and over and over, then let out a slight squeak. "No fucking _way_!"

"Nice, huh? Of course, the effects are dependent on the receptivity of the partner. But something tells me Iruka-sensei is going to be a very... receptive... partner. What do you think, Kakashi?" Ryu hid his smirk for now. He wanted Kakashi on edge, thinking about what he could lose if he continued his usual behavior. Or what someone else might gain.

"Uhg, nmh. Wuh?" Kakashi spluttered and gawked at Ryu. "What the fuck are you _on_?" Iruka couldn't... He wouldn't... Would he? "Well... I suppose, but... You aren't going to...? What about Hanako? The girls?" Me...?

Ryu narrowed his eyes and frowned. "This is training, Kakashi. You know we have to make certain sacrifices." He grinned and leaned forward, hair spilling around his shoulders. "That doesn't mean I can't enjoy myself. It's been a long time since I had such a pretty young man in my lap. Tell me, Kakashi, is his skin that same mouth-watering color all the way down?"

"Ryu!?" Kakashi cried out in outrage and crawled backwards on the futon, kicking Ryu in the process. "What the-- FUCK YOU!!"

"Sadly, I doubt it will go that far. No one has ever actually climaxed just from the technique alone. Wouldn't it be funny if your caretaker were the first?"

This was it. That was enough. "Fuck you! You're supposed to be married!" Kakashi's voice came in a low growl, then he let out a shout and launched himself at Ryu. "Fuck you! I'll fucking _kill _ you, you bastard!"

Ryu caught him easily and before he managed to hurt himself. "Why so upset? I'm doing this for you. Don't you want to feel his bare skin, sliding next to yours? His hands splayed out against your chest? His chakra, filling your body with a tingling warmth?"

Kakashi moaned at the thought. "Nnnh... I do... I just... I get..." He shook his head. "Jealous."

"Can't imagine why," Ryu murmured, setting Kakashi back onto the futon. "How could he even look at another man when you've been so... accommodating?" Now he smirked, staring down at Kakashi's face. "Oh. I guess you haven't. And yet, he still let you stick your cock down his throat."

A furious blush spread across Kakashi's face, and he lowered his eyes to look at his feet. "It's just... Well... I don't want to let him in. After Youichi... What if he goes off on a mission and never comes back?"

Ryu leaned closer, hair brushing against Kakashi's shoulders. "What if you hadn't gotten yourself injured? What if _you_ go on a mission and never come back? What if flying monkeys kidnap Ton-Ton and we're all nibbled to death by ducks?" He sat back, shrugging. "Of course, 

if you don't want me to train him, I can always call Ibiki back here. He was so disappointed when I took over. Volatile personalities are a huge turn-on for him." A bald lie, except for the last part, but Kakashi was so off-balance he would never know.

Kakashi cried out in outrage and glared at him. "Fuck no. I want _you_ to train him." His voice had gotten a lot louder and he was almost shouting, now. "And what the fuck are you making fun of me over?"

"'Cause you're so cute when you're angry and helpless," Ryu purred back. He had Kakashi exactly where he wanted him. Now he needed to nudge Iruka in the same direction.

"Fuck you!" Kakashi shouted, smacking Ryu's shoulder, trying and failing to pout and scowl at the same time. "I hate you, numbfuck."

--

The slightly too loud bantering in the main room reached the chuunin cooking in the kitchen. One voice sounded a little angry, the other voice sounded teasing - and there was no mistake as to who was who.

Iruka stepped through the door with the teapot and a stack of cups. "Kakashi-sensei, did you want something? I thought I heard you yelling, but I couldn't make out the words." He knelt down next to the futon, holding his hands out. "Here. Let me help you sit up."

Kakashi grumbled as Ryu held back a slight snicker. "I'm _fine_, Iruka... Really." He grumbled again and sent the tall jonin a look that clearly said 'when I'm out of this bed, you're going to be deader than dead.'

"You are _not_ fine," Iruka growled back. "You have tried to sit up several times tonight and still haven't managed it." He took a deep breath, trying to keep his tone moderate. Yelling wasn't going to help. "I thought," Iruka continued, scratching at his scar. "I thought you might want to sit at the table and eat. With us."

Thoroughly chastised, Kakashi lowered his gaze. "I... It would be nice, thank you, Iruka."

Ryu almost felt sympathy for him, but it didn't stop him from poking Kakashi again. "I can always carry you back to bed, Kakashi. Prop you up with pillows. Feed you myself, if you want." He chuckled again at Iruka's warning stare. "If you don't mind, I think I will join you. But you should eat lightly, Iruka-sensei. Chakra exchange on a full stomach will cause indigestion. But on an empty stomach it will cause dizziness. Somewhere in between is good."

Kakashi glowered and nearly made a fool of himself by saying something childish and stupid in response. He didn't, however, and was glad for it. He merely sulked. "I'd prefer if _Iruka_ helped me. At least he doesn't smell like a garden of flowers."

"Kakashi-sensei, that was rude." But Iruka was relieved that Kakashi wasn't snarling at him. Ryu really did know how to handle Kakashi. He went to the chest and pulled out three zabuton. There were more if Kakashi needed an extra one, but Iruka didn't want to annoy him by assuming. He set it down close to the futon and lifted the table up carefully, setting it down. Now Kakashi would just need to move off the futon and he would be at the table. Iruka 

set the other two cushions down and turned back to Kakashi, waiting.

Refraining from sticking his tongue out, Kakashi rolled over and off the futon. He then managed to wiggle so that his ass was closer to the floor than his face, and finally sat somewhat upright on the pillow. "There. See? I managed."

Ryu patted him on the head. "Good boy."

Kakashi glowered at Ryu. "You're an asshole, Uzuki. A large, fat asshole, and I hate it. When I'm healthy again, you're dead."

"Good to know," Ryu smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Somehow, Kakashi had managed to poke _just_ the right spot.

Iruka bit down on a squeak when Ryu patted Kakashi's head - he hoped there wasn't a kunai in reach. But when Kakashi snarled back, Iruka shook his head and slammed his hand down on the table. "That will be quite enough! Uzuki-san is a guest here. My guest as well as yours. I don't care how you normally talk to your friends, but you will not speak to him like that in front of me."

He poured the tea, trying to breathe normally. It was just Kakashi being petulant, calling names like a child. Anyone with eyes could see Ryu wasn't fat. "I'll be right back with the food."

Ryu reached a hand out to steady Kakashi, as the other jonin seemed to be just about ready to topple backwards from shock. "There... I know you didn't mean the fat part." He smiled slightly. "But the part about me dying stung. You have no idea how..." Shaking his head, because he didn't want Kakashi to worry, he smiled again. "Don't worry."

Kakashi gave a slight nod, and replied with a noncommittal noise, too stunned to really utter a single word, much less a sentence.

I really don't understand what's going on, Iruka groused to himself as he left the room. And I'm pretty sure I don't want to. He would bring the food, they would eat, then Ryu would teach him whatever he needed to know. Iruka would just have to detach himself from everything else.

"You know, I think Kakashi is unable to close his mouth. You stunned him, there." Ryu leaned lightly on the doorframe of the kitchen, watching Iruka, his head cocked to the side.

"I think perhaps I was yelling at the wrong person," Iruka replied, his eyes narrowed. "Please refrain from annoying him deliberately, Uzuki-san. When he realizes what is going to be required, I... uh, don't think he's going to be happy."

Ryu snorted. "He can handle it, Iruka-sensei. It isn't as if he doesn't like and return the banter." A dark eyebrow arched as the man walked further into the room. "Honestly, though..." He shook his head. "I think the fact that we'll have to be close and undressed riles him up more than my jibes."

Turning away pointedly, Iruka picked up the tray with most of the food on it. He would come 

back for the rest. He was trying hard not to think about it, but with Ryu standing not a foot away, it was impossible. Maybe the side effects were exaggerated. Maybe Kakashi wouldn't respond like that. But _he_ would, Iruka knew, his eyes flickering to the tall man and back to the ground. He'd have to be dead _not_ to respond.

Ryu almost blushed at the quite obvious attraction Iruka felt towards him. It wasn't unusual for people to find any of his clan attractive, but he always felt bothered by it. Instead of saying a word, he grabbed the remaining plates and carried them to the main room, setting them down beside Kakashi. "Dinner is served, Kakashi." He smiled warmly. Then he realised that the jonin had to remove his mask to eat.

Kakashi's stomach grumbled loudly at the sight and smell of food. "Iruka-sensei? Are you ready to eat?" The silver-haired jonin stared up at Iruka with almost childlike anticipation, wanting to get the okay before he dug in.

Iruka knelt down and nodded. "Please, go ahead. I know you've been waiting to eat." He grinned up at Ryu. "Kakashi-sensei has been sleeping through meals, so we had a ton of leftovers in the icebox. Feel free to ignore whatever you don't like." He was mildly surprised that Kakashi took his mask down, but it made sense, considering Ryu's abilities.

Giving an almost-but-not-quite squee, reminiscent to the one he had been known to give whenever Jiraiya released a new book, Kakashi took up his chopsticks and grinned. "Itadakimasu," he exclaimed, then dug into the food with gusto, much to the amusement of the other occupants of the room.

Ryu smiled benignly at his friend, then turned the same, warm and kind smile to Iruka. "I believe I see my wife's cooking," he said, as he helped himself to a bowl of rice and some ishikari nabe.

"Yes, she's been wonderful. Your whole family, Uzuki-san. I don't know how we would have managed." Iruka filled his own bowl, silently moving Kakashi's favorite pieces closer to the man's plate. "You don't have to eat so quickly, Kakashi-sensei," he chided gently.

Kakashi slowed down at Iruka's chiding, seemingly not hearing a word. Ryu chuckled softly at this, then smiled at Iruka. "I hope my youngest brothers didn't tear down the house while they were cleaning?"

"Ah, no. It's still standing, although I did wonder how they managed to burn down an entire kitchen." Iruka put his bowl down, refilling Kakashi's tea instead. He was finding it hard to chew and swallow, and his stomach roiled each time he thought of what he would be doing after dinner.

Ryu sensed Iruka's uneasiness, but decided against doing anything about it - it wouldn't be a wise move. "Oh, the kitchen incident... Hanako left them to cooking, and when we came back... Well, let's say they'd been focusing on other things than cooking."

"Like making out," Kakashi said after putting on his mask. "It's a not so well known fact, isn't it?" He tilted his head and smiled slightly.

Ryu smiled in return. "Quite right... At least they aren't _sister_ and brother... That would have 

been interesting."

I don't want to know, Iruka chanted silently. I just don't want to know.

--

So I hope you all enjoyed. As always, I thank everyone for following this little story that we've been working on for ages. Hopefully, I can finish it on my own. It is still a highly daunting task. So yeah. I also hope for feedback! I loves feedback! Feedback for my ego!


	16. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** I think you should get the gist of it by now.

**Warning:** Man on man action – and it's not who you think it is.

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**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 15**

--

Iruka cleaned up the table and returned the uneaten food to the icebox while Ryu washed his hands elsewhere. He was tired and running on adrenaline now. Or butterfly-power, his stomach giving another flop as he took his seat by the table, waiting for the large man to come back. Kakashi was curled under the blankets, and Iruka wondered if he was already asleep. It would definitely make it easier for him, Iruka decided. Especially if Kakashi decided to start those teasing comments - Iruka didn't think he could handle it.

Ryu returned a moment later, already tugging his shirt over his head to reveal a beautifully muscled torso, inked with black lines coming from his back. The tattoos ran the length of his muscular arms as well, as if forming wings to a large creature. Folding the cloth, he laid it on a chest by the wall. "Why don't you remove your shirt, Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka pulled his shirt over his head, setting the hitai-ate down next to it. His hair was still up, so he didn't feel completely exposed somehow. "Uzuki-san, how is this better? I mean, Kakashi-sensei and I, it's been, strange. And adding, uh, that particular complication, I just... How in the hell is this in any way better? For either of us?"

Flashing an enigmatic smile, Ryu sat down on the floor, cross-legged. "You'll see when the time comes. For now," he reached up, slipping a rubber band around his long, black hair, then removing his hitai-ate, "please sit down in my lap. It will make this easier. The more skin-to-skin contact, the better."

With a glance at the figure on the futon, Iruka nodded and turned around, sliding down until he landed on strong thighs. At least he didn't have to worry about crushing anyone. He leaned back, biting down a gasp when his back met a warm chest.

Ryu slipped one hand up and tugged at the ponytail tickling his chest. "You'll have to take this out. It tickles, and I'll giggle and lose my concentration." He slid a large, warm and heavily tattoed arm around the chuunin's waist, pulling him a little closer. "Trust me," he said, breath ghosting past the chuunin's ear, "you're going to squirm."

"Fine, whatever," Iruka muttered, pulling his hair tie out and letting Ryu move him until he was aligned properly. At least they were both still wearing pants. He shuddered again when Ryu's hands brushed against his chest and splayed across his skin. He grit his teeth when he felt his nipples harden, but couldn't completely mask the soft moan in the back of his throat. He already felt like squirming and they hadn't even started.

Concentrating, Ryu tempered his chakra until he was ready to transfer it into the chuunin. "Okay... I'm going to start now," he said, shifting a little. Then, the soft, warm flow of his chakra extended through skin and into Iruka's system. "If you understand the basics of this technique and why it must be used on Kakashi, explain it to me. If not, I will tell you."

Iruka groaned when he felt the tingle, up and down his spine, growing stronger until his entire torso was warm and getting hotter by the second. "Kakashi-sensei's body can't handle the immediate disbursement of a Level 1 exchange. Level 2 stimulates the main chakra centers in a more direct, yet gentle way. But I can't do it through clothes, and it wears me out quickly even with skin contact." Iruka tried not to pant, his head tipping back against Ryu's shoulder. He could feel something pushing into his body, not in one spot, but all over, every place Ryu's skin touched his. "This is a fusion of the two, although it seems highly impractical in most cases."

"Good, you know your stuff. To clarify, any chakra exchange is not a 1 to 1 exchange - you always have to expend more chakra than you're actually giving. Level 2 is very inefficient, especially since you're not a medical ninja. The loss is as much as 50. This technique is a variation of Level 1, but it's gentle enough for Kakashi's system to absorb. And it's much more efficient - you won't be nearly as drained by it."" Ryu slid his arms further around Iruka, palms flat on heated, tan skin. "Also, we need Kakashi well in a matter of two to three weeks, and this will speed things up radically." He upped the strength of his chakra by a little bit, and the scent of lavender floated through the air around them.

On the futon, Kakashi had strange dreams riddled with the scent of lavender, dreams that held a slight bit of truth. He saw himself running through the woods, Iruka by his side, and countless more shinobi among them. To what goal, he couldn't grasp, but it seemed dire. As the dream slid from his mind, he fell into a deeper slumber.

"Why?" Iruka managed to spit out, shifting his hips slightly, tensing up to try and stall the arousal that was going to make things even more embarrassing in a few seconds.

"Because.. He'll be needed." Ryu chose this moment to curse himself and Ibiki to all hell, because this was wrecking havoc on his self-restraint. Iruka was squirming in his lap, and he could feel that both of them were on the verge of severe arousal. He stifled a groan and almost bit Iruka's shoulder, then remembered that he had to maintain the chakra flow and bit the inside of his own cheek instead.

Iruka shook his head, uncaring that he was probably dragging hair across Ryu's chest. "That is how I ended up here, you know? Because I dared to tell Godaime she needed to be more careful with him." He bent forward, a little moan escaping when the tingling increased, running along his cock like tiny electric tongues.

"Don't tense up. You're blocking the flow. And will you stop squirming?" The tall jonin grit out through clenched teeth as he held the chuunin closer to his chest. The squirming was going to be the death of him, and Iruka was so hot and delicious and just... felt so good against his body. "Tsunade-sama has a tendency to be unreasonable, yes. But I have a suspicion that Kakashi will be more unreasonable if you don't stop squirming." The next bit was left unsaid, as Ryu was hellbent on not mentioning the words 'fuck' and 'you' in the same sentence. He was quite certain that if he did, he'd end up doing just that to the pretty chuunin.

"Can't help it," Iruka panted out, his forehead pressed against the man's throat. "Uzuki-san..." His hands moved up, covering Ryu's, pressing them closer. His voice sounded breathless, desperate, needy. He could feel something shifting underneath him, a warm hardness, and it was all he could do not to press down. "So sorry, Uzuki-san," he gasped again, lips nearly 

touching Ryu's skin.

Ryu let out a husky moan, arms moving to pull the chuunin closer, still keeping the flow of chakra steady at its current level. "It's... nggh... it's okay," he grit out, barely keeping his hips from rolling up against that tight ass as he panted softly. How could one man drive him mad like this? He'd practiced with Ibiki before, and it never caused this kind of trouble. "Just let it happen. It doesn't mean anything. It's just, hmmm, let's call it a benefit?"

Iruka could barely hear him over the pounding of blood in his ears. He could block the flow, but that would be counter-productive. He wound his fingers around Ryu's hands, gripping hard, hoping to distract both of them a little bit. He could feel Ryu shifting now, each movement sending another spark up Iruka's spine. "How much longer?" he begged, dredging up a picture of Hanako's face in his mind. This man was _married_! He was a parent! Iruka could _not_ be doing this with him.

"Just... nnh... a little bit longer." Ryu couldn't believe how it must feel to be on the recieving end of this. It was horribly intense to be the giver... How must Iruka be feeling? "Just... a little bit." He kept focusing, giving a soft, husky moan as the beautiful man shifted on his lap. Keeping the image of Hanako firmly in front of his mind's eye, he tried his best not to just pull the chuunin the remaining inch closer and kiss him senseless.

Trying to drag his body back from the edge, Iruka began to analyze the technique. It was simpler this way, if both giver and receiver were able to hold off. Or maybe that wasn't necessary? "Uzuki-san, would an orgasm help or hurt the exchange?"

Blinking once, twice, three times, Ryu tried to process the question. "It would help, actually." He kept the chakra flow steady, focusing also on calming his breath and heartrate - a difficult feat to manage.

"Why would you learn this in T&I?" Iruka didn't know for a fact Ryu was in T&I, but Ibiki was.

"Because chakra exchange can be used for torture as well." He bit his lip, trying to continue focusing on steadying his breath and calming down instead of claiming those all-too-tempting lips in a bruising kiss. Oh, how he wanted to, but he wouldn't be able to forgive himself after.

"Uzuki-san," Iruka moaned again, tensing his body. "Please... too close. Please stop." The thoughts, the analysis, even Hanako's face weren't working. All he could think about was flipping over and grinding against Ryu's body, fisting his hand in that long ponytail and biting down hard on that pale, pale neck. "Please..." he gasped again, shoulders shaking from the strain of _not_ doing exactly that. Kakashi would never forgive him, Iruka was certain.

"Just... a... second... longer..." Ryu panted softly, eyes clenched shut, evening out the flow of chakra coursing between their bodies, diminishing it one tendril at a time. His hips shifted just a tiny fraction, and he felt it down to the tips of his toes. His cock was throbbing against too tight pants, and all he wanted was to grind himself up. Iruka's ass was all too tempting. He didn't, though, as he tried thinking of his wife and daughters instead.

Iruka nodded, body curled up, tense and shaking. Even his hair felt sensitive, so he pressed his face back against Ryu's neck, biting his lips when Ryu shifted again. And then it stopped, and 

he fell over himself getting off of Ryu's lap, scuttling gracelessly across the room to the other side of the table, dark eyes staring at the tall man from underneath messy hair.

Letting out a long, heavy breath, Ryu removed the rubber band and ran slender hands through long, black hair. He couldn't keep the hungry gleam out of his eyes as they raked over Iruka's body, but he thought better of it and looked to the sleeping form of Kakashi. "He should be able to do this when he wakes. How do you feel?"

Iruka's head shot up, his outraged squawk and flashing eyes stopping Ryu with a glare. "How the fuck do you think I feel?"

"_Aside_ from incredibly horny?" Ryu grumbled, not thinking he'd actually have to say that. Curling up, he rested his chin on his knees and regarded the pretty chuunin sulkily. "No need to bark."

Iruka was torn between feeling bad he had snapped and feeling annoyed because once again, he was going to be left breathless, panting and achingly hard. 'Incredibly horny' didn't even come close. He took another shaky breath, testing his chakra levels. "It worked," he murmured, surprised. "I feel strong. Really strong. Like I could beat up Tomohiro-san strong." He smiled, relaxing. "How do _you_ feel, Uzuki-san?"

Flashing a slight grin, Ryu cocked an eyebrow. "Aside from incredibly horny? I feel fine. A little weaker than before I started, but not bad. I feel like I can beat up my twin, too."

"Would you like some tea?"

"That would be nice, yes. Then we can see if you've grasped the technique." Ryu stretched out, then laid down on the tatami mat. It wasn't incredibly comfortable, but he didn't feel like he should be anywhere near Iruka at the moment. So he opted to lie down and rest until he'd calmed himself enough.

--

Iruka gave Ryu a solid twenty minutes. He figured if the man got antsy, he would come looking. Instead, Iruka scrubbed the dishes with a vengeance, cleaning all the pots and pans, drying everything in sight. Amazing what a little extra chakra could do for you, despite the hellaciously arousing method of getting it. Now all he had to do was give it back.

He set the teapot down on the table, surprised at the change in the room. Ryu had opened the door to the bedroom and managed to move the heater back in there. The main room was colder now, but when it was time for them to move Kakashi to his bed, his room would be warm. Maybe the man would be tired enough he wouldn't complain if Iruka moved his futon into the room as well. It wasn't going to freeze, but it would be pretty close.

They sipped their tea and chatted about nothing for a few more minutes before Ryu put his cup down with a click.

"You ready?"

"How?" Iruka held up his hands helplessly. Ryu had placed Iruka in his lap so their torsos would line up, but Iruka couldn't see how that would help in this case.

Ryu looked to Iruka, an eyebrow arched. "There are two ways we can do this. You can either sit on my lap with your legs wrapped around my waist and we can exchange our chakra that way - though it might be a bit risky - or you can lean on my back. I'm strong enough to support us both." He tied his hair back in a ponytail again, tugging it to hang over his shoulder. This was going to be very interesting. Would he be as turned on as Iruka had been? If _that_ were the case, he wouldn't bother going to see Ibiki - he'd just head straight home to his wife.

Iruka sat there, thinking. Stalling, really, because he wasn't sure he could touch Ryu again without all of the previous tension reappearing all at once. "Why risky? Are some positions dangerous?" It was a valid question - he didn't want to hurt Kakashi by accident.

Ryu had to forcibly fight down a blush and cleared his throat to cover the light tremor in his voice. "Uh... No, no position is dangerous. Technically, you can do any, uhm... position. It's just... risky. Because... I might... you know... do things we'd both regret later." And the blush was there, full force on his face. Fuck it. He hated it. His brothers always teased him about it - especially Tomohiro.

He bit his lip when Iruka's eyes widened and the blushed as well, the pink flush spreading across Iruka's face, down his neck and onto his chest. On one hand, it was nice to know someone else had a similar problem. On the other, though, it didn't help at all to know _exactly_ how Iruka would look if something did happen. Ryu shook his head, instead turning around, legs crossed. "Kneel behind me and rest your weight on me."

Iruka nodded, thankful Ryu had turned around. But then he grinned because that put him in a decidedly dominant position, something he suspected the tall man wasn't used to.

Ryu looked over his shoulder at Iruka. "It doesn't bother me that you're behind me like that, you know." He gave a devious grin. "I like relinquishing control, at times."

"That... really doesn't help, Uzuki-san," Iruka replied, unable to keep a sudden picture out of his head of the man beneath him, ass in the air, fisting the sheets as his hair slid across his pale back... "Sorry," he muttered, taking a deep breath. He could do this. He was a shinobi. This was a mission. He could do this. He scooted closer, hands tentatively gripping Ryu's arms as he braced himself against the man's back.

"Just slide your arms around me so you have a better hold. That's not going to work in the long run." Ryu settled back against the smaller man's chest, showing him that it was okay to lean on him. "And I like the picture of that, too. But, I am a married man... And..." He left the last bit unspoken, as his eyes looked over at Kakashi, who was still sleeping soundly.

Kakashi shifted slightly and rolled over in his sleep, almost but not quite awake. He enjoyed his half-sleep, because it felt good, and he could feel his body healing. Little by little, but surely, he was getting better.

"Can we just pretend for a bit that you can't really read my mind?" Iruka couldn't help the complaint in his voice. Fine, he couldn't control his imagination or his internal dialogue. Yes, it was despicable to even be _thinking_ these things, and of course, he worried about what Kakashi would think. But really, how was this helping? It would fucking serve Ryu right if he 

just let his fantasy unfold. It would be multiple levels of wrong, but Iruka's temper was beginning its slow bubble. He wrapped his arms around the tall man, splaying out his hands the way Ryu had before.

Swallowing hard - because this really felt too good - Ryu leaned forward a little and let Iruka support himself on his back. This was going to be interesting. "Fine. But you shouldn't be so angry." It wasn't _his_ fault that Iruka was thinking so loudly. "And you know, you can always try to... I don't know, lower your internal voice, or something?"

"Kakashi-sensei said it was impossible to block my thoughts from your children. I'm not even going to bother trying to block them from you." He wanted nothing more than to stuff a gag in Ryu's mouth, but that wouldn't help him learn anything. Instead, he pressed his cheek against the man's shoulder, watching Kakashi's chest rise and fall with sleep. "Okay, I'm ready."

"Concentrate your chakra, but don't give too high of a burst or too much at once. Spread it out through your exposed skin and transfer it to me."

Iruka nodded - Ryu would be able to feel it. He took another breath then closed his eyes, concentrating on bringing up his chakra slowly, not to a single point but instead along his skin where it met Ryu's.

He let out a slow breath and tried not to moan, his head tipping back. Iruka's chakra was soothing and oddly erotic, like summer rain caressing his skin, his entire system, after a long, hot day. "Nnn... That's good."

It felt strange, letting his chakra out like this. Iruka's skin tingled, but it wasn't unbearable. He opened his eyes, still breathing deeply. "Does it go faster if there's more skin contact?"

Ryu had to concentrate to catch the meaning of his words. "Uhhh... Yes. More skin contact would make it go faster." This was intense. Very intense. _Too_ intense. "Though... The more skin contact, the more... uh..."

"Benefits?" Iruka supplied with an uncharacterstic giggle. "Your word, Uzuki-san, not mine."

Ryu tried to smile and nod, but he felt that if he moved, Iruka's skin would slide against his, and it would be all the more arousing. He was hard as a rock already.

"What if I move? Say, my hands? Does it matter?"

If Iruka moved now, Ryu would turn around and jump him. "No... Nngh... It doesn't matter. But stay still." Fuck, this was grating on his nerves. It was good, though, that Iruka asked questions. That was probably why he was such a good teacher, he liked to learn things himself.

"And you already said position doesn't matter." Iruka shifted slightly, squeezing just a little tighter. It was starting to get intense - not nearly as intense as receiving, but it was difficult to hold on to his concentration when his body clearly wanted something else. Fuck, if he had been face to face with Ryu, doing this... He tried to take another deep breath but it came out shaky, disturbing the hair that had fallen over his face.

Ryu moaned, softly, but still audible. "Fuck... Iruka, this..." He bit his lip, trying to concentrate on something else, but the throbbing in his lower regions was getting more insistant.

Iruka felt a soft whimper leave his own lips. "Is it always this intense, Uzuki-san?" He now had to concentrate not just on the exchange, but on not moving. He knew what Ryu was feeling, and he didn't want to make it worse, but he didn't know what else he could do to help.

"No..." Ryu's reply came, slightly pained. "I don't get it... It wasn't like this when I practiced with Ibiki." Then again, Ibiki wasn't made of sex, like Iruka. Sure, Ibiki was handsome and sexy, but Iruka... Gods, Ryu wanted a piece of that ass.

"Maybe... it's Kakashi?" Iruka gasped, trying and failing to still the shudder going up and down his body. It felt like every nerve in his spine was firing, each one intent on upping his arousal and eroding his self-control. Attraction was one thing - he knew he was attracted to Ryu. And maybe Ryu was attracted back. But this went far beyond attraction.

"I... Don't think so. Nnh..." Ryu bit his lip. "Iruka, if you don't..." He wouldn't be able to control himself much longer. This extreme, carnal desire he had for the other man wasn't healthy, it felt as if his cock would explode, as if he would faint from lack of blood. He wriggled slightly and let out a soft, shuddering moan. "I can't... Fuck... So hot... Want you..."

_Want you back_, Iruka thought, because all he could manage from his mouth was another low moan. A trickle of a memory fluttered just out of sight, but Iruka latched onto it immediately. An orgasm would help, Ryu said that. _Touch yourself, Uzuki-san_, he thought again. _You said it would help. I can't see you, Kakashi's asleep. It's okay_.

Swallowing hard, Ryu slid a hand down his own stomach. He panted softly as he undid his pants and his cock sprang free. It already felt better. "Oh... Fuck... Iruka..." He moaned, sliding a hand around his own cock. It felt so good. Back arching, he let out another, low, arousing moan, his eyes fluttering shut.

Iruka could feel his heart beating, threatening to break out of his rib cage. He really wanted to watch, to taste, but Ryu was right - the repercussions for a combined loss of control would be disastrous. He swallowed, his mouth dry and full of saliva at the same time. He didn't know what else to do - to encourage Ryu with his voice and thoughts, or pretend he didn't know what was going on in front of him. He flushed and moaned when Ryu arched back, bumping against his crotch. He could only move his head, nodding.

My brain is melting, Ryu thought idly. But it feels so damn _good_! Fingertips gently ghosted along the underside of his cock, and he let out another moan. "Focus... nnh... on your chakra flow." He slid his hand up along the length of his own cock and arched against Iruka again. The man was so arousing, so beautiful, so incredibly sexy.

Unnoticed to the two men exchanging chakra, Kakashi had been awake for quite some time. He was still half asleep, more or less, but he knew what was going on. Surprisingly, he found it amusing - he'd have ammunition to tease Ryu later. At the same time, it was arousing - he'd had no idea Ryu's cock was that big, or what he looked like when turned on. And Iruka... He shuddered internally. Two words: Sex God.

"Yes, sorry," Iruka mumbled back, trying to keep the flow steady and slow and _not_ slide down Ryu's body and bite that muscled shoulder. His teethmarks on that shoulder would look so good. He glanced at Kakashi, still a pile of blankets on the futon. They would look even better on Kakashi. A sudden image of Ryu and Kakashi, locked in an erotic battle, cocks grinding together, white hair melding with black, flashed into Iruka's mind and he groaned in response, hands beginning to roam the broad chest underneath them.

Ryu moaned at the image, then sent one of his own - Iruka, Kakashi and himself locked together in sexual play, tongues and hands everywhere, moaning and panting and grinding. His hand pumped faster and he leaned back into Iruka, biting at his bottom lip to stifle a louder moan. He wanted to say something, but couldn't. All blood had fled down to his heavy, dripping erection.

Fighting to keep his breath even, Kakashi felt his cock harden at the erotic picture the two men sitting across the room from him displayed. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was incredibly hot, and, despite himself, he wished that Iruka's hands would travel further down. He wanted to see Ryu turn his head and kiss _his_ Iruka, because it'd be such a beautiful picture.

Iruka's hands were busy mapping out the curves of Ryu's throat and face, dipping briefly into the man's mouth, tracing his lips. He was surprised to find that movement gave him more control, not less. It didn't relieve any of the _benefits_, but it made it easier to maintain his flow and concentration.

Ryu let his tongue flit across Iruka's fingers, then turned his head to capture the man's lips. It felt too good. Moaning, he pumped harder, alternating the pressure and speed he used to stimulate his own, rock hard cock. His hips rolled of their own volition, and a steady flow of precum coated his long, slender fingers.

Kakashi couldn't believe his luck. This was too hot to be true, and he snuggled further under the blankets, only the top of his head poking out. He was pretty good at acting asleep by now, which worked to his benefit - he got free porn.

_Wanna fuck you, wanna push you onto the floor right now and pull your hair and cover your skin with as many bites as I can_, Iruka thought frantically, trying to push Ryu over the edge. He pulled back just slightly from Ryu's face, sucking in a portion of the man's lower lip and worrying it with his teeth before releasing it all at once and sliding his face down to that neck that had been taunting him all night. _Tie you up, spank you until I can see my handprints on your ass, my teethmarks on your thighs, then shove as much of that cock in my mouth as I can and go so slow you'll scream_. He was moaning, groaning, whimpering, as his tongue flicked up and down Ryu's neck. It tingled and Iruka gasped because apparently he could channel chakra there, too.

As those thoughts invaded his mind, Ryu moaned loudly, wantonly, fisting his cock harder. Oh god, he thought. Then he decided he'd reciprocate. _I want to feel that hot, hard cock of yours inside me, want to feel your teeth and hands and tongue all over me, want you to suck my cock and suck yours in return, and fuck I just want you so bad right now, Iruka. _

Arching again, his entire body went rigid, and he shuddered and groaned, eyes clenched shut, as he came hard. "Oh, fuck, _Iruka_!" His voice was dark and husky, shaky. His entire being 

was burning with want.

As Ryu came, Kakashi's jaw dropped open. He turned slightly, lazily, casually, and muffled a soft groan in his pillow. That was _too_ hot. Ryu... And Iruka... And he wondered... Damn. Was that how the exchange worked?

Iruka groaned, long, low, a deep rumble, because he could feel Ryu's chakra pushing into him, and he pushed it back, wondering how it felt. Would Ryu be exhausted and limp, or would he be energized by it? He heard a soft groan to his side, felt a brief flash of guilt that they'd woken Kakashi, but it wasn't about Kakashi now, it was about the technique, and about the man in front of him.

Shuddering, Ryu tipped his head back to rest on Iruka's shoulder. His cock was still pulsing and throbbing, and it felt as if it wouldn't stop in a while. "Oh... Iruka... More... Please..." Biting his lip, he gave a slow pump to his cock, moaning again because it felt _that_ good.

Drawing up more chakra, Iruka concentrated hard on sending it through every inch of skin, his eyes closed. He bit down gently on the ear next to his head, then swished his tongue lightly along the shell. He was starting to feel a little fatigued, but he wouldn't stop just yet, not until Ryu was done. "I can feel your chakra, pulsing inside of me," he whispered, not caring that Kakashi could hear. "It's wild and hot, shaking like a wolf after it's been running hard. I can almost hear it howling."

Giving a slight growl, Ryu turned and kissed Iruka hard on the lips. "Iruka... I want to suck you... Hard. Until you spill down my throat."

At this exclamation, Kakashi had to swallow gasps of air, because the way Ryu said it almost had him cream his own pants - and it wasn't even directed at him.

This had gone too far. Iruka gentled the kiss, sighing. His cock was so hard, pressing against Ryu, but he knew he couldn't do it. _Kakashi-sensei is awake_, he thought, reminding Ryu of why they were here. _I couldn't do that to him, not after... what happened before._

_Well, at least let me make you come?_ Ryu's gaze was hooded, his grey eyes dark as storm clouds as he looked at Iruka. _And I know Kakashi is awake... He's trying hard not to come at the moment._

Kakashi, on the other hand, bit his lip, stifling a soft moan. It wasn't audible, at least, not audible to Iruka. Ryu probably knew he was awake already. Fuck, if he could just... but then they'd know for sure, and he didn't want that. But his cock was so hard...

With another sigh, Iruka did what he'd wanted to do since he'd seen Ryu's hair - he reached over and slid his hand into it, tightening his grip as he pulled Ryu's face to his, forcing his tongue inside the man's mouth and pressing down hard. Ryu would understand, he couldn't do this, but he would never forget. Even if he fell in love, even if he met a man who could make him forget everyone else, he would never forget Ryu, the same way he would never forget Kakashi. Then he began the slow process of reeling in his chakra, bit by bit, dragging it out so Ryu would feel everything.

Ryu let out a soft moan, tongue tangling with Iruka's as he pulled him close, grinding into 

him. He knew Iruka wasn't going to forget, and he wouldn't either. Besides, he wanted to return the favor. He knew Iruka couldn't do it, knew he, himself, couldn't, but at least... Well... He felt that Iruka had given him too much chakra, anyway. So he pulled Iruka into his lap, wrapped his arms around his waist and spread out and focused his chakra, transferring some of it to the beautiful chuunin.

Kakashi felt as if his eyes were going to fall out of his head if he continued to watch. He wanted in on it, too. No fun being left out.

--

Well, that's it for this time. XD Chapter fifteen. Wow. This is huge…


	17. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** I don't own, and I don't write canon, because obviously, I'm not Masashi Kishimoto. He's a genius, by the way. All original characters and settings belong to either Nobiki or me. Ask before you borrow.

**Warnings: **Well… I'm pretty much sure you've gotten a grasp of what kind of story this is by now. So yeah.

--

**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 16**

--

Ryu was comfortable, Iruka decided. He wasn't tired, but he really didn't want to get up. He looked up, smiling and stroking his fingers over the handsome face. "Sorry. Did you want to take a bath? I think I'm probably, uh, stuck to your skin right now."

Blinking slightly, Ryu stroked Iruka's hair with his clean hand. "Mmm... That would actually be nice." He gave a lazy smile, nuzzling lightly against the chuunin's nose. This felt good.

Pushing away, Iruka shifted side to side, slithering off Ryu's lap slowly until he was kneeling on the floor, averting his eyes because Ryu's pants were still undone and he wasn't going down _that_ road again. He crawled to the chest and dragged his other yukata out. "Here, put this on. I know it'll be too small, but I can wash the, uh, stains off your pants while I'm heating the bath up."

Ryu chuckled, grabbing the offered yukata, tugging it on. He managed to close it around his rather slender waist, but it still flared widely over the chest, and the arms were tight. Plus, it was a bit short. He slid his pants down and handed them to Iruka. "Thank you, Iruka." Saying sensei now didn't feel right.

"I'll be back in a bit." He couldn't help blushing, just a little, because Ryu's voice was so kind. Iruka was very grateful, suddenly, that Ryu had taken Ibiki's place. It was still awkward, but it would have been worse to have those kinds of reactions with a man he had only seen once or twice. He would tell Ryu that later, after he'd had time to think.

Kakashi took the chance he got and grasped it while Iruka was out of the room. "Ryuuu... You sly dog, you."

"Kakashi." Ryu wasn't really all that bothered, knowing he had enjoyed it just as much as he himself had. "Did you enjoy it?"

"I guess." Biting his lip, Kakashi looked up at Ryu. "Do you know why he held back?" He assumed it wasn't _only_ Hanako.

"I think... Well, you'll have to find out on your own." Ryu smirked, walking over to lean on a support pillar next to the bedroom door. "I know it isn't fun, but... I can't meddle anymore than I've already done. You understand, right?"

"Yeah... Sorry if it bothers you."

"Nah, not really." Ryu smiled. Then he winced. "I just hope Hanako doesn't kick my ass."

--

Iruka sat at the table, waiting for the kettle to boil. The bath was heating, and Ryu's pants were already draped over a chair in front of the stove. He decided he was hungry, and thought maybe Ryu would be to, so he was heating up some more food.

Now he sat, staring at the wall, thinking. He didn't feel that much guilt over the whole thing, which was surprising. He was more concerned because he would be expected to do this to Kakashi, whether Kakashi wanted him to or not. That bothered him. True, he was pretty sure Kakashi would be all for it, and his conscience twinged slightly thinking about Kakashi having to _listen_ to all that.

He had so many questions, about the technique itself, about Ryu's reaction to it, and about his own responses. It was up to the giver to stay in control, that much he realized. But how was it developed? Why was it developed? It could be a powerful coercive tool, if his own state of mind was anything to go by. He was more than halfway down the road to developing a crush on Ryu. Was that temporary? Why would Tsunade allow something like that to be used? 'Altered perceptions' was one of the side effects he'd read in the textbook - is this what it meant?

More disturbing, to him anyway, was why he'd held back. Why was Kakashi so important to him? He knew he wasn't indifferent to the man, and now he needed to know his own mind, before it became fuzzed from doing _that_ again. He'd been curious about Kakashi from the start, never noticing when that curiosity turned into concern and worry. He wasn't worried about Aoba or Anko, and they were both out on missions! Why Kakashi? Had he felt something for the man all along and he never realized it? How was it possible? They barely knew each other!

Iruka shook his head, standing when the kettle whistled. He just knew that each time he thought of Ryu, every image, every fantasy, during the exchange, Kakashi would always take Ryu's place. If Kakashi had been healthier, he knew exactly what would have happened after Ryu sent his own little fantasy into Iruka's mind. But that was the point, wasn't it? Kakashi _wasn't_ healthy. But with this technique, he would get better faster, because Konoha needed him

"Would it really be so bad?" he murmured out loud as he poured the water into the teapot and settled the food onto a tray. To fall in love. Even if it was lust-induced, the concern and attraction were already there. Even if Kakashi discovered later that Iruka wasn't the man he thought, would it really be so bad? Kakashi was willing, and it hurt Iruka that Kakashi just assumed he would be tossed aside, abandoned. Again. Had that happened to him as well? He had no control over this, over what was going to happen, over what had already happened. All he could do was choose - yes or no. Answer the question, pick the path, and make the best of it later on. Kakashi had chosen, as proud as he was, he had chosen. Chosen to love Iruka, even if Iruka never loved him back.

--

"Hey, Ryu… About the technique…" Kakashi's voice was kind of uncertain as he looked up at the larger man.

"It's not really supposed to be like that, but there were strong emotions involved. I can't really explain it, but it's got something to do with my limit." He really didn't feel like explaining this at the moment, it was difficult for him to even center his own feelings about this matter. Why was his heart pounding so loudly because of Iruka?

No, it wasn't Iruka. Those feelings, they had been transferred from Kakashi during the exchange and interfered with his own emotions. It would eventually settle down, but at the moment, it seemed like he was on the road to developing a crush on Iruka. Those feelings he knew weren't his – he loved Hanako more than anything. She was the love of his life.

"So… That's the medical jutsu Iruka had to learn. Is it always as intense?"

"No. I've practiced with Ibiki several times. The only times when it's very intense while I practice it is when I practice with Hanako. Because I'm attracted and have strong feelings for her. Not that I'm not attracted to Ibiki, or feel the same way about Iruka as I do about my wife… Iruka is a very attractive man…" He was digging a grave for himself. "Uhm… To get back on track – the feelings you have for Iruka were transferred to me because I was extra sensitive during the exchange, and you and I already have a close bond because of our friendship." Ryu shrugged. "It's as easy as that, really."

Speaking of being sensitive, he was getting worried about Iruka. "If you don't mind, I'm going to go see if I can locate Iruka."

Kakashi smiled slightly and settled back against the pillows. "It's okay. Go talk to him."

--

Ryu made his way over to the kitchen, where he instinctively assumed Iruka would be. Standing in the doorway, he looked at the chuunin, noting the calm and the jumble of emotions floating through the man. "Iruka."

"Ryu." Iruka smiled, because he knew, somehow, he'd made the right choice. Just as Ryu said he would. "Your bath is ready, and I've heated up some food for us. How's Kakashi-sensei?"

"He's fine. We just talked about what happened, actually. He isn't cross with either of us - he understands completely." Knowing that was what Iruka needed to hear, Ryu smiled gently and made his way over to him. "That bath sounds very tempting, but at the moment, I feel that I should talk to you first. If that's okay."

"We can eat in here, then. I have a lot of questions." Iruka set the food down on the table, pushing aside a few of his school papers so Ryu could sit. "How much of what happened was due to your knowledge of Kakashi's feelings for me?"

Sitting down at his allotted spot, Ryu thought for a moment before answering. "Most of it. During exchange, I become very sensitive to outside influences such as feelings, thoughts, other things like that, and it's difficult to separate between the emotions of other people and my own. So, since I was already attracted to you before we started, during this little exchange the emotions Kakashi sent out were amplified, and it resulted in what we experienced back there. As for how this would affect you, I honestly have no idea."

Leaning against the counter, Iruka drank his tea in silence, thinking. "To be truthful, at this moment it wouldn't take much of a push for me to fall for you. I assume that will be temporary? The book did mention 'altered perceptions' as a possible side effect."

Ryu set down his own cup and tugged lightly at the braid he'd made. "I'm not sure. The things is, I've done this technique with various people before, and the only time I ever reacted so strongly was with my wife." He continued tugging at his braid for a moment, thinking. "To be honest, I hope it's temporary, as we'd find ourselves in a rather awkward situation if it isn't. I'm pretty close to falling, myself."

"Why would Godaime allow such a technique to be used? It seems... well, quite frankly counter-productive. I mean, I can see its uses in T&I." Iruka sighed, shaking his head. "Not that I would blame her. If she knew Kakashi-sensei had feelings for me, it would only help him heal if I could be convinced to return those feelings."

"Do you want me to tell you how this technique was developed and why it's allowed?" Remembering something, he picked up his cup and took a sip. "By the way, I'm not T&I. I'm in Assassination."

Iruka nodded, ignoring the comment about Ryu's affiliation. Ibiki was in T&I, and Ibiki had been chosen to teach him. Where Ryu fit into this, Iruka would find out later.

"It's stupid, actually. Two medical ninja, a married couple, were working opposite shifts. This was during the Second War. Not surprisingly, they never had time for sex. So, they came up with this. One would come home just as the other was getting up. The refreshed one would hand over some chakra, they'd have sex, than the one about to sleep would give it back. During sleep the chakra would replenish itself." Ryu looked down at his teacup. "And your earlier question... Tsunade-sama didn't know about your feelings for Kakashi. In fact, it wasn't her idea to begin with." He looked up at the chuunin. "It was the idea of my brother. Riku."

"Why did you choose to take Morino-san's place?"

"The reason I took Ibiki's place is that Ibiki seemed extremely edgy and tired, and I knew you wouldn't feel nearly as uncomfortable with me as you would with him. Also, I wanted to check up on how things are working out."

Iruka cocked his head, staring down at the man at the table. "Somehow, I don't think that's an entirely truthful answer. Are you certain you weren't hoping to nudge the two of us closer?"

"Weelll..." Ryu smiled a little, biting at his bottom lip. "Perhaps a tiny bit?" He flashed a bigger, broader smile, trying to look innocent, which only helped to remind Iruka of Harumi when she'd done something stupid and tried to diminish his punishment by looking cute and harmless.

His smile faltered when Iruka pushed off the counter with a feral gleam in his eye. "That's a dangerous game to play. Especially with a teacher - we are pretty much jonin when it comes to spotting manipulation." He leaned closer, hand closing over Ryu's shoulder. "What would you have done if I hadn't held back, hadn't kept control? What would you have done if I decided I wanted you, not Kakashi-sensei?" He smiled when he felt his hair brush against 

Ryu's chest and saw the skin prickle instantly.

Ryu cocked an eyebrow, keeping his cool. He wasn't easily intimidated, and he had known as soon as he spoke that would be Iruka's reaction anyway. In a second, he had the chuunin pinned beneath him on the floor. "Oh, I don't know, Iruka..." The named rolled off his tongue like the purr of a great cat. "What would you _want_ me to do?"

When fighting against Tomohiro, Iruka had to let his instinct take over. This wasn't exactly a fight, but the same principle applied. He had meant to tease Ryu just a little, giving his temper time to settle. Ryu had obviously seen through that. Instead, Iruka opened his mouth, waiting for whatever was going to come out - a yell, an explanation, anything.

He was as surprised as Ryu when he pulled the man's head closer for another heated kiss, reveling in the sensation of being able to feel the man's mouth against his without the pressure of the exchange clouding his senses. Surprising them both even more, Ryu returned the kiss with just as much heat and passion - kissing Iruka felt really good. His tongue slipped in between the chuunin's lips, tasting and flitting, never tangling, just offering teasing and no satisfaction.

Long minutes ticked by before they broke apart, panting. "You live a charmed life, Ryu," Iruka whispered, hand tracing the man's jaw. "I should be angry. But your meddling worked. Kakashi is important to me, more important than I realized." He pulled Ryu's head back down, bumping their foreheads together. "I'm not afraid anymore."

Nuzzling noses, Ryu's face split into a handsome smile. "I'm glad," he replied, his voice a gentle murmur. Pressing their lips together in a gentle, chaste kiss, his smile widened. "I'm very glad."

Iruka pushed Ryu's shoulder gently. "You should take your bath and go home. I'm going to have to beg Hanako-san's forgiveness for a month for molesting her husband like this."

Snorting, Ryu pulled back. "I will obey your orders, Iruka. Though I'm quite certain it will be the other way around." He sat back up, helping the chuunin back into an upright position. "Fuck," he groaned, "Hanako is going to kick my ass. Not that I don't deserve it."

Standing, Iruka brushed himself off and shrugged. They both deserved it, but Iruka couldn't be sorry about it. Except... He groaned, paled and staggered when he realized just what he was in for tomorrow. "Your _children_! Gods, I have to face them tomorrow!" Now he wanted to curl up in a ball and die.

Ryu shot to his feet and supported the chuunin. "They... Well... Let me teach you a little trick."

Iruka waved Ryu's support away and nodded. If anything, he could always call in sick for one day.

"They take in every signal sent out in a room. In class, that's a lot. I don't know how She will react, but the other two... They won't be able to focus on your thoughts unless they look directly at you. I haven't trained them in filtering yet. Whenever they look at you, think of Kakashi instead." It usually worked, he just hoped Iruka could manage it.

It seemed simple enough, but would it be enough? "You told me I needed to lower my internal voice. How difficult is it to learn to do that?"

"Actually, it's a matter of not thinking so hard when you think, thinning out your thoughts and blending them with other thoughts. Most Uzukis do, but then again, most of us are insane." Ryu shrugged. "It's the only way to do it. Or you can constantly think in a whisper. Harumi does, but she says that her head feels tired."

"Well, I'm learning to react instinctively around your clan. I suppose I can learn this too." Iruka relaxed. He could do this. "I need to go check on Kakashi. Call for me if you need anything."

"I don't think that's necessary. Go talk to Kakashi, Iruka." Ryu smiled and walked into the bathroom. A bath would be perfect right about now, and then he'd go home and attempt to explain to his wife.

--

I wonder what Iruka and Ryu are talking about, Kakashi mused to himself. He wasn't so sure he wanted to know, but he hoped... Well, Ryu knew how he felt. He also knew that even though Ryu was a complete pervert, he was still an honorable man. He wouldn't disregard Kakashi's feelings in the slightest. As for Iruka... Well, he'd just continue hoping.

His erection had settled down, now, and he was only half hard. It wasn't as if his body could handle the strain of an orgasm, and he didn't want to faint. The sights and sounds of the evening had been a distraction to the normal monotony of his situation, and he felt a little refreshed - despite the fact that he hadn't been the one to make out with Iruka.

He settled more comfortably under his blankets, Kakashi smiled slightly to himself. Maybe Iruka would understand better if Ryu explained? Or maybe he'd freak out again. He knew that there were monsters in Iruka's past, and he knew the chuunin was afraid... But he hoped that Iruka would be more inclined to give him a chance now.

And when you think of the sun, it shines. Iruka was standing in the doorway, looking at him. "Hey, you." Kakashi smiled up at him. Not that it was visible.

Iruka smiled, hoping he looked relaxed. "How are you feeling?" he asked as he knelt down next to the futon.

"Better, after I got some sleep. And you?" Kakashi reached out, as if to take his hand, then thought better of it.

"Better. I was a little confused, but I'm okay now." Iruka looked down at his knees, consciously relaxing his hands. "Did Uzuki-san explain what happened?"

"Mmm... Yeah, he explained. He always explains stuff. Well... Most of the time." Chuckling slightly. "Sometimes he makes me feel like an idiot, even if I have the same level of intelligence as Shikamaru."

Iruka laughed and shook his head. "Please don't compare yourself to Shikamaru. Trust me, 

intelligence isn't everything." He sighed, wondering how to phrase his next question. "How do you feel about what happened?"

I knew he was going to ask that. Kakashi smiled. "Not bad. It was quite the show."

"That's not what I meant and you know it. How do you feel about doing that... well, not that exactly, but..." Iruka grit his teeth, trying to drag his words up from his throat. "If it's not something you're comfortable doing, I can find another way. I, uh, already did a Level 2 exchange on you once, and it seemed to help."

"No, it's fine. I'm actually... looking forward to it, in an odd way. I hope you're not uncomfortable with the thought?"

Iruka could feel the heat on his cheeks, but he didn't look away. "As long as I'm not doing something you don't want, and it doesn't end up hurting you, I'm okay with it."

"Even considering the feelings I have for you?" Kakashi had to ask, it was important that he knew. Iruka had been reluctant at best, and he didn't want to pressure him.

Kakashi stiffened when he felt Iruka take his hand, his heart suddenly pounding in his chest. "I wouldn't even consider it if you didn't," Iruka said softly, his eyes on the floor. "I don't know how or when, but you've become very important to me. You have been for some time. That's why I worry about you so much, I think. Even though I know almost nothing about you." Iruka licked his lips, his mouth was so dry suddenly, and he couldn't quite bring himself to say anything else.

"I think my brain just melted." Kakashi stated, blinking multiple times. When had _this_ happened? Why was Iruka... And how... And when? And why? "Are you telling me... That... You return my feelings?"

Iruka took a deep breath. "I'm saying I no longer doubt your feelings for me. And I can admit I feel something more than just concern for a fellow shinobi." He took another breath, raising his head to meet Kakashi's gaze. "I'm saying I'm not afraid to find out how deep those feelings go." It wasn't quite love, but it was the truth.

Kakashi let himself relax and squeezed the hand holding his. "I'm glad to hear that." And he really was. Iruka would give him a chance, and that was all he ever needed - a chance to prove that he was worth the chuunin's efforts. Because he wanted him so badly, and he... he loved him. Really loved him. "So... What do we do now?"

"We wait for Uzuki-san to gather his courage to go home and face his wife. Then we'll see if I learned anything from him."

"What about your chakra level?" Kakashi frowned. He'd seen that Iruka gave back the chakra Ryu had supposedly given him. Had he given more than he should, or...?

Iruka smiled, drawing his fingers across Kakashi's palm in a teasing circle. "That's why we do this before I go to sleep."

Just that little touch, and Kakashi was painfully erect again. Damnit. "Irukaaaa..." He 

groaned. "Damnit."

The sound of Kakashi's voice sent a thrill down Iruka's spine. He leaned forward, whispering directly into Kakashi's ear. "Perhaps we shouldn't wait for Uzuki-san to leave. You seem... eager to begin."

Kakashi bit his lip, and nodded. "Nnn... I'd... like to begin as soon as possible..." Because I want to feel your body pressed close to mine. But that last bit was left unsaid.

Instead of answering, Iruka simply pushed aside the blankets and gathered Kakashi into his arms. He walked the two steps to the bedroom and slid the door open. The room was comfortably warm, perhaps a little too warm, so Iruka left the door open. He slid Kakashi onto the bed, slowly, deliberately undoing the knot of the yukata Kakashi wore. _His_ yukata.

Not knowing where to place his hand, whether to moan or not, what to do, Kakashi bit his lip. "Iruka..." The name just slipped out of his mouth, as if he were meant to say it. There was no real purpose behind it, it only... slipped.

"Hmm?" Iruka replied, working on removing the yukata gently and rolling Kakashi under the covers, facing away from the door. His eyes lingered on the pale skin of Kakashi's back, his heart rate already speeding up in anticipation.

"Hmm?" Kakashi bit his lip, not quite coherent. He wanted Iruka so bad, and he was within reach. And he hadn't even said anything stupid to warrant it! The feeling of Iruka's hands on his body was almost too much - it felt that good.

Iruka paused, considering for a second before unbuttoning his pants and sliding them down. More skin contact was better. "Just relax, Kakashi, and don't fight it," he whispered, settling himself against Kakashi's back and drawing his legs up until they met Kakashi's thighs. His stomach flopped once, twice, and Iruka really hoped he would be able to do this properly. His skin was already tingling and he hadn't even started.

--

So yeah. Another chapter down! I really need to figure out how to end this, though, and when I've gotten to the part where we stopped writing, I won't post again until the whole story is done. Thanks for sticking with us! Oh, and no worries. That place... Is a long way ahead.


	18. Chapter 17 MISSING

AUTHOR'S NOTE!

I am in a major dilemma. I just realized that I somehow managed to delete chapter seventeen of Wolf's Winter.

Nothing much happens in it – except for the chakra transfer and something minor with Ibiki and Ryu, I think – and I have already e-mailed Nobiki for it. However, I wanted to ask you guys: Do you want me to upload chapter eighteen even though it's jumping over one chapter? I have e-mailed nobiki and asked her to mail me the document, and in time this will be replaced by it. If she still has it. Hopefully, she does.

So it's up to you, people. Update or no update?

-Beatrisu


	19. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer**: No own, no sue. We're just using them for fun. We'll put them back when we're done. Promise.

The majority won out - here's the eighteenth chapter.

--

**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 18**

--

Kakashi woke up around seven thirty in the morning and lifted his head. He was all alone, and his body didn't hurt as much as it had before. For once, he was relaxed. The chakra exchange had done wonders on him, and he felt a lot better already, not that it was difficult to make him feel a lot better than he had the previous weeks.

He remembered the previous night's happenings with fondness and smiled slightly, settling back under the covers, cocooning. His bed smelled like Iruka, and Kakashi liked that smell.

Looking around, he quickly understood that Iruka wasn't in the bedroom, and assumed that he'd already gotten out of bed. That wasn't the point, though. The point was that Iruka had slept in _his_ bed, with _him_, the entirety of the night. The thought made him positively giddy.

To think, that Iruka actually was interested in him. Now, the clue was to not scare him away. But at the same time, he didn't want to make it seem like he wasn't interested anymore, either. How was he supposed to do that? Socializing wasn't exactly in the top spots of his priorities, though he did have enough common sense to see what was right or wrong behavior, and what you did or did not talk about in polite company. As for relationships... Well, his experience on that point was sorely lacking. Most of the sexual encounters he'd had were all on the casual level. He couldn't treat Iruka the same way as he would treat a casual fuck.

Already feeling the beginnings of a headache, Kakashi settled back into the mattress and closed his eyes. He'd puzzle it out over time.

--

It wasn't Monday, and it wasn't Saturday, but it sure didn't feel like a Tuesday to Iruka. He was forcing himself to remain calm, to keep his thoughts purposeful and even. And quiet. He'd thought about certain things over and over again, so they could replay in his mind in an instant - nothing too shocking, just him studying the textbook while Kakashi pestered him. Then dinner. Then skipping to him and Ryu eating again in the kitchen where they discussed the technique. Not including the kissing part. All the while his eyes searched for the girls whenever he had to go outside to the playground or into the hallway.

There wasn't any way to avoid Sadako-chan, however, since she was in his class, but so far, she hadn't given him a second look. She seemed preoccupied with something, or someone, he couldn't tell. Or maybe that was just his mood today, as well. He shook his head, taking his place in front of the class to begin the lecture on bones.

He was acutely aware of Sadako-chan's eyes on him, knowing she was listening to everything, and he had to be extremely careful with his thoughts. Good thing the children were more interested in the lecture today. One of their classmates had broken his leg yesterday after school. Iruka put together the lecture after having to answer 'what is a femur' for the sixth time. "Remember, we'll have a test on this on Friday."

Iruka grinned when the last child exited the classroom. If Sadako had seen anything, she wasn't saying. He stepped into the hallway, smiling and thinking about Kakashi. He hoped the man was okay - it was still cold today, so he'd left the shutters up. He'd put food on the table, and pajamas on the bed. Kakashi should have everything he needed.

He stopped short as he felt that gentle prodding at his mind again, cold fingers caressing, questioning. Then an image flashed, Ryu kissing him, him returning the kiss, his own face through Ryu's eyes. The whole ordeal left him feeling like questions needed to be answered.

Turning, Iruka was surprised to find the hallway empty, but there was no mistaking this touch. "Mitsuko-chan," he said aloud. "Where are you?"

She peeked out from inside an empty classroom, where she had been hiding from accusing teachers. Her white eyes were wide, halfway hidden by her long, black hair, and on her face was a cute blush. She seemed almost shy in his presence, as she quietly averted her gaze.

Iruka gestured for her to follow him back into his classroom, letting her sit down at one of the desks. "If you have questions, I will answer them as best I can. But I would like you to ask them. With your voice. I haven't heard it yet."

Mitsuko blinked, actually closing her eyes for a brief moment, as if she didn't understand what he was saying. Behind them, a piece of chalk flitted across the blackboard, spelling out words. "I don't know how", the writing said, "I've never tried before."

He nodded. He expected as much. "It's something you should learn, Mitsuko-chan. It would be a great skill. Imagine, you would be able to tell your future teammates something, while at the same time saying something else. Consider how confused your enemies would be when you say 'Lay a trap by the river' but you've actually told your teammate to put one in a tree." He leaned over, looking at the young girl and smiling. "Fine, ask how you will, but I want you to work on that over the break. Do you promise?"

She nodded, and flashed a brief smile. On the blackboard, the chalk wrote "I promise. And I'll try right now." So the little girl opened her mouth, trying to speak, and nothing came out but a small croak. Disappointed, her shoulders slumped. Then she pointed to the blackboard, where clear letters spelled out "why does daddy remember kissing you, and why was he touching you?"

Iruka sighed. "It's complicated. I am taking care of someone who was injured. Godaime asked that I learn a different method of healing so this man will get better faster. Your father came over to teach me. It required a lot more, um, touching than either of us were used to. Unfortunately, your father's ability created a strange side effect." He hoped she understood at least some of what he was saying, he wasn't sure how much more he could break it down for her.

"Part of falling in love with someone usually involves a physical attraction to that person. It makes you want to be close to them, to do things like kiss them. When your father's ability mixed with the healing method, it created the illusion of that feeling in both of us. Otherwise, it would never have happened."

Blushing again, she dipped her head in a nod. Then she shook her head, eyebrows furrowing, and an eerie, white glow enveloped her entire body, and just for one small moment, Iruka saw a horrible image; One at the time, the three oldest Uzuki sisters flashed before his mind, at the bottom of an old, dried out well, badly bruised and bloodied. Their hands were clawing at the wall, nails were torn out.

As soon as the images flashed in front of him, they disappeared, and Mitsuko slumped, rubbing groggily at her temples.

Iruka was on alert in an instant. Whatever had happened wasn't normal, and it was obviously painful to the little girl as well. "Come on, I'm taking you home," he said, trying to radiate calm with an undercurrent of worry. Mitsuko would pick up on it and hopefully wouldn't fight him. Someone in her family needed to know about this.

Mitsuko obediently hopped up and walked calmly over to him, shoulders tense. She seemed afraid, as if she didn't know what was happening. When she looked up at Iruka, he could see her lips quivering, and a tear slid down her cheek. Reaching out, she slid her hand into his and held it gently. The tiny, white hand was surprisingly warm to the touch, soft and dry, with thin skin, despite her daily training with kunai.

"Koji-sensei? Would you take over for me until after lunch?" Iruka asked the assistant teacher from the doorway of the workroom. "Mitsuko-chan isn't feeling well, and I think it has something to do with her limit." The little girl was hiding behind Iruka, but the tiny hand holding his was still plainly visible.

"Um, sure thing, Iruka-sensei," the young man replied. Everyone else in the workroom had stopped to listen.

The men began to talk at once as soon as they heard the hall doors shut. "Gods, that girl gives me the willies." "Why is she even here? I heard her uncle went insane and killed his whole team." "Well, at least Iruka-sensei knows enough to let her family deal with her."

When the teachers on break filed back to their classroom, the general consensus was Goko-sensei deserved danger pay, and Iruka-sensei some kind of award for even touching the girl.

--

Mitsuko walked along beside Iruka, her hand holding his, occasionally chancing a glance up at him. Whenever she looked up and met his eyes, she would send him one of those eerie little smiles and sway a little from side to side on the spot. It occurred to Iruka that the girl hadn't known much kindness from other adults than her parents, uncles, aunts and him self, and she clearly enjoyed his company.

At times, she'd swing their hands lightly back and forth and hum quietly to herself, before she stilled again and seemed tired, troubled.

They walked past the old Uchiha district and onward, past the Hyuuga clan's households and appeared at a gate framed by sakura trees. They were bare now, but from the appearance of it, they would look wonderful during spring.

As they walked towards the front doors, they slid open. Also of their own accord.

Mitsuko smiled slightly and tilted her head, as if listening, then tugged at Iruka's hand, as if urging him to come inside with her. When they entered, she slid her hand out of his and stepped out of her shoes, then stood still, waiting for him.

Iruka smiled and kicked off his own shoes, knocking loudly on a wooden post. "Hello! This is Umino Iruka. I've brought Mitsuko-chan home. She isn't feeling well." Surely somebody would be home. Hanako didn't strike Iruka as the type of woman who would let her children come home to an empty house.

"I know, I know." A man, just a little bit taller than Iruka, entered the hallway. He was at least three years younger than him, and quite unlike any other Uzuki the chuunin had ever met. His hair was short and spiked and he smiled warmly, a kind aura surrounding his entire being. It wouldn't surprise anyone if this man turned out to be a medic. "Hello. I'm Kenichi. Mitsuko-chan's uncle." He gave the girl in question a gentle hug. "Aren't you feeling well, Mitsuko-chan?"

She shook her head, looking slightly sad.

"Well, then, wasn't it nice of Iruka-sensei to walk you home?" He smiled to the girl, then up at Iruka.

Mitsuko nodded, smiling, the biggest smile Iruka had ever seen on her face.

Iruka smiled back, curling his hand around her head gently. "Why don't you go lay down for a little bit while I talk to your uncle? I'll make sure your sister brings your homework home."

Mitsuko nodded obediently and stepped up the stairs, quiet as a shadow. Kenichi looked after her then turned to Iruka. "Sitting room?" He gestured further inside, his voice a little hushed. "We have to be quiet, I finally put the babies to sleep."

"That's, uh, fine," Iruka said, surprised. But Ryu didn't look that old, either. Apparently the Uzuki men married early and bred quickly.

Kenichi led Iruka into the main sitting room and nudged him towards the sofa. "Sit down and feel at home. I just made tea. I suppose you need something to drink, as school work must be tiring." He smiled warmly and hurried off into the kitchen, then returned soon again with a pot of steaming tea and two cups. He set the cups down on the low coffee table and poured for Iruka first, then for himself.

In a corner of the sofa, a small girl - no more than three years old, most likely - slept peacefully. When her father sat down, she reached out, and he instinctively lifted her onto his lap, cradling her. Without missing a beat, he looked at Iruka, his face serious, head cocked to the side. "What happened, Iruka-san?"

Shaking his head, Iruka described everything he could remember - the light, the visions, and Mitsuko's reactions to them. "I was afraid if I just let her rest at school she wouldn't bother to tell anyone about what happened," he said weakly when he finished.

Kenichi's brow furrowed momentarily, and he suddenly looked much older than his 19 years of age. "I think you're right... Actually, Ryu mentioned something like that to me, as well..." He shook his head. "Something is going on, and I don't like it one bit... I have to tell Riku about this. Would you come with me? I want him to hear the story directly from you, if possible."

"Could I meet you after school?" Iruka asked. "I need to go home to check on someone at lunch."

"Oh, of course. Patients always come first." The young man smiled knowingly, adjusting the position of the child on his lap. "I should probably warn you, though... My brother is... Well, _Riku_ is odder than my other brothers."

"As long as he's quieter than the T-twins, I'm sure we'll get along just fine," Iruka said with a shudder. He felt bad that he could never remember the youngest Uzuki brothers' names, but it was mostly fear that stating their names might invoke them, like some kind of mystical beast.

Kenichi laughed softly, smiling brightly at Iruka. "Oh, those two have always been balls of energy. Ryu keeps telling me that I was much worse when I was little, but I don't believe him. Did they burn down _your_ kitchen, too?"

Iruka took a deep breath and shook his head. "Thankfully, no. They are well aware they aren't allowed anywhere near a kitchen. And since I'm living in a guest house, I am very grateful. I would be working until I was seventy to pay off that damage." He set his empty cup down and stood up. "I'll see myself out. I need to get back. Where should I meet you this afternoon?"

"I'll come meet you at the school once I've handed the babies over to my wife. Is that okay?" He tilted his head, rocking the small child gently as she stirred.

"Of course. I'll see you then, Kenichi-san. I do hope Mitsuko-chan will be feeling better soon."

"As do I..." Kenichi smiled and turned to look at the other two children nestled close by, in a nest of pillows. "I will meet you the moment you come out of the school. Have a nice day, Iruka-san."

Feel better soon, Mitsuko-chan, Iruka thought as he left the house. He didn't know if she was asleep or not, but he was confident she heard him.

--

Kakashi woke at lunchtime. He didn't know that it was specifically lunchtime, but the sun was high in the sky and his stomach was grumbling. Testing his arms, he reached up and stretched, back arching, and he relaxed again with a satisfied sigh. His body didn't feel nearly as bad as it had before.

He sat up and looked down at the foot of the bed, where Iruka had left him a pair of pajamas. It would be lovely to change into them and actually walk into the main room to eat. So he did, and then lay down on the futon.

This feels good, he thought as he looked up at the ceiling, a small smile on his lips.

He burrowed further under the blankets and inhaled, enjoying the lingering scent of Iruka. The man smelled so good. Just the reminder of him brought butterflies to Kakashi's stomach, and he grumbled a little, feeling like a blushing schoolgirl in love with her teacher.

Well, that scenario was only a little more awkward than when a patient falls in love with his caretaker.

He let out another sigh and allowed his eyes to slip shut. Catnaps felt good. Especially when he spent them dreaming of beautiful chuunin school teachers with tan skin and bright smiles, and cute scars across their noses.

And then he was awake, for some reason, and the cute scar of his dreams was hovering directly above him.

"Have you been asleep all this time?" Iruka asked, trying to breathe. Why was he breathless? He hadn't run all the way.

Kakashi blinked and then blinked some more. "Uh... whuh?"

Iruka sat back on his heels, chuckling. "How are you feeling today?" He wasn't sure what to call Kakashi now. 'Kakashi' seemed so... intimate, but 'Kakashi-sensei' might imply nothing had happened. 'Kakashi-san' was out of the question - he'd never called the man that before.

"Uh... Uhm... Errr... Hum..." Kakashi shifted about for a minute, trying to find words in his suddenly vacant brain. "I'm fine, thanks for asking." He beamed up at the chuunin. "And you?"

"Fine," Iruka lied, because the entire business with Mitsuko had him a little on edge. He would tell Kakashi, but it could wait until after he'd spoken to Riku. "I'm going to go start lunch. Did you need anything?"

"A-ctually... I just ate." Kakashi scratched his neck and looked down, uncertain of how Iruka would react to that. "And I think I can manage, so... It's all right. You go take care of yourself. You deserve that."

"Good, so you finally managed to eat breakfast for a change. I'll make something so you can eat again this afternoon. I might be a little late getting home." Iruka stood up, smiling. "Are you warm enough? I think it's going to stay cold for another day, after that, I should be able to take the shutters down."

"Yeah, I'm fine. If it should get too cold, I'll just walk back into my room. All alone. Without support." Kakashi was so incredibly happy that he could manage on his own for a change, and that he didn't have to remain dependent on Iruka.

Iruka frowned, his eyes narrowed. "Don't overdo it. Godaime said you would feel better all at once, but you wouldn't actually _be_ better. I don't want to get back and find you collapsed on the floor."

"But... It's only to the bed! Not very far at all, just about ten feet!" Sighing, Kakashi's bottom lip jutted out in an almost pout. "Spoilsport."

"Fine, Kakashi-kun. Just be careful." Iruka left the room, hiding his smile. He could say that now. He was fairly sure Kakashi wouldn't attack him with a kunai again.

"IRUKA!" Came the quite outraged howl from the futon. "Get back here, you scoundrel!"

Or maybe he would, Iruka thought with a smile. He continued on into the kitchen and started up the stove, setting the kettle down on it. In a few more weeks it would all be over. He would go back to his little apartment, with its gas burner and fridge and rice cooker. His small bed, and shower with hot water on demand. But no Kakashi. He sat down at the table, staring at the wall. How was this going to work? They were both going to be busy with their own lives. Kakashi would be taking missions again, and so would Iruka. How was this going to work?

Arms slipped around his waist, a warm chest pressed against his back and a sharp chin rested on his shoulder. Hot breath ghosted past his ear as Kakashi spoke. "A ryou for your thoughts."

He forgot to yell, to be angry with Kakashi for walking down the porch by himself. Instead he turned around and pulled the man into his lap, burying his nose against an ear, wrapping his arms around thin shoulders. He had to quit thinking like that, about what was going to happen, or how it would work out. "Not worth even a sen," he mumbled against Kakashi's neck.

Kakashi's hands reached up to stroke through thick, brown hair. "Hm..." He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Iruka's scar. "Are you sure? I mean, you could make a hell of a bargain, if I'm willing to give a ryou for thoughts seemingly not worth a sen."

The kettle whistled, and Iruka stood up, pushing Kakashi down into the chair he'd vacated. "And don't think you're off the hook for walking down here without help."

The jonin looked thoroughly chastised. "And here I thought you were happy to see me."

"That too," Iruka said from the stove, busily sliding the chopped vegetables into the left-over soup. "Are you okay with wearing pajamas or did you want to wear something else?"

Shrugging, Kakashi raised his head to look at the chuunin. He seemed troubled, but was hiding it well. "I'm fine with wearing them, they're all comfy." Somehow, he sort of felt like he should mention what had happened the previous night, but he was afraid of Iruka's reaction to it. And as things were now, he'd probably be well again soon... Would he still see the other man, then? "Iruka... When I'm... Never mind." He couldn't ask. Fuck... Why did he absolutely have to find his insecurities _now_ of all times?

Iruka nodded absently, still stirring. "Well, I was thinking we could make another visit to the Memorial Stone this evening."

If Kakashi had been a dog, his ears would have perked up and his tail would have wagged. As he wasn't a dog, he smiled instead, expectant. "Really?" He reminded Iruka of a child who had been allowed to stay up late to watch the fireworks on New Year's Eve.

"Yes. But you'll still need to use the wheelchair, at least until Godaime says differently." He sat down at the table across from Kakashi and poured out the special tea for Kakashi before starting on his soup. "Drink your tea. Maybe you won't have to drink it after tomorrow."

Kakashi made a face, but decided that it was best to humour him - he had a feeling that Iruka's rage would be terrifying. He lifted the cup to his lips with one hand, squeezed his nose shut with the other and poured the entire contents down his own throat. It brought tears to his eyes, but at least he didn't have to taste it. "All... done.." He coughed, tears rolling down his face.

"Does it taste better hot or cold?"

"Guh." Was Kakashi's eloquent reply, as he thumped his head down on the tabletop. "Cold, because it's easier to pour it down my throat without boiling it."

Iruka sighed because _this_ was something he could have asked last week. It would have cut down on the fights immensely. "I'll leave a pot out for you. If you drink it all, I won't give you any more today. But no fair dumping it out. You've killed some of the plants by the porch already."

"Isn't that proof enough that I shouldn't be drinking this?" Kakashi opted for persuasion. "If it kills plants, it could kill me." He made a face, regarding the teapot with disgust. "I'm pretty sure she's put dog shit in that mix."

"Someone is eating here," Iruka muttered, but he wanted to laugh. Life with Kakashi was interesting. He was going to miss it. "And I doubt she would give you anything that could really kill you." At least he hoped not. But some medicines were poison when given incorrectly. "Just drink it. I'll ask her about it tomorrow."

He stood up, taking his bowl to the sink. He had just enough time to make something for Kakashi to snack on and then he would need to leave.

"But what if it _is_ dogshit?" Kakashi wasn't willing to let this go. "Or horse piss?"

"I was just thinking I was going to miss taking care of you," Iruka snapped suddenly. "If this is your idea of table conversation, I think I would prefer Pakkun."

"Fine." Kakashi stood abruptly and ignored the fact that the movement might have jostled his severely bruised ribcage. "I'll summon him for you and you can take care of him instead." Turning, he quickly left the room. If Iruka wanted to take jokes like that seriously, he could suit himself - Kakashi didn't want to be insulted.

Iruka ran after him, stopping Kakashi before he got four steps away. "Don't. You. DARE!" he growled, wondering if the man was serious or not. "No using chakra means no using chakra." He shook his head and pulled Kakashi closer, hands curled around Kakash's jaw. "I didn't mean it. You didn't mean it. Things are just... awkward right now. I know that when you get better you're going right back to work, and something's going to happen."

Closing his eyes, Kakashi let out a heavy sigh. "I... Iruka... I... What I was going to ask you earlier was... That... I'm wondering... Will we still see each other on a regular basis when I'm well?" His heart was breaking at the thought of having to give this all up. Kakashi didn't want all of this to be for nothing.

"I don't know. I... want to. I just don't know. We don't exactly work the same schedules." Iruka took a deep breath and let it out all at once. "I need to finish cooking and get back to school. I'm not running away, and I promise I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Fine..." Kakashi squared his shoulders and looked down at the chuunin. "Can... Can I have a kiss first? I mean... You don't have to if--"

Iruka pressed cool lips against Kakashi's cheek. "I know that's not quite what you had in mind," Iruka murmured, his own face flushing pink. "But if I do anything else, I won't be leaving for a while." He grinned, rubbing his finger across his scar, and went back into the kitchen.

If he had tried, Kakashi wouldn't have been able to find his legs. He was pretty sure they had walked off on their own. Had Iruka really said that? What did he.. He couldn't possibly mean that, could he? Oh, Kakashi was pretty sure he did, and he felt particularly lovestruck at that moment. A giddy smile crossed his face and he practically bounced his way back into bed, his head floating on a big, fluffy cloud up in heaven somewhere.

--

A bit longer than the others. I hope you guys didn't find it boring to read. Uhm…. Yeah. Review! Give me your thoughts! I love hearing them!


	20. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer:** No own, no sue. Just having fun, not making profit.

It's the weekend. I figured you all deserved a treat

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**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 19**

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When Iruka left the school building, done for the day, Kenichi was already waiting. "Iruka-sensei," the young man smiled, giving a polite bow. He was dressed in comfortable hakama and gi, grey in colour, and he stood beside the swing hanging from the large, oak tree.

"Kenichi-san, sorry! Have you been waiting long?"

The young man's eyes twinkled as he stepped forward. "Hmm... I knew you were going to get out now... What do you think?" He tilted his head and smiled kindly. "No, I only waited five minutes, as it is only polite to arrive a bit before. And also, I thought I should give you a fair warning."

Iruka stood off to the side, nodding and smiling as the children left the building. "Warn me about what?" he asked. Kenichi would know he had Iruka's attention, even if his eyes were still on the children leaving the schoolyard.

"Riku isn't a very stable person. He's highly unpredictable at best, and he even scares the Hokage." Kenichi shrugged. "He isn't mean, or evil... He is simply put powerful, and his unwanted knowledge has caused his mind to... Well... He snapped. Flew off his rocker. Whatever you call it." Trying to word this was difficult for the gentle man, but he still tried. "When he killed his team, he did it because it was the only way out. He told both Ryu and me this later. Riku's team had gotten a difficult mission, and as time wore on, my brother saw that the only two options were either that they all died from torture, or that he killed them and completed the mission himself." Kenichi ran a hand through his wild spikes of black hair. "It wasn't a choice he wanted to take, and he has repeatedly offered to commit ritual suicide, but no one would let him. He hasn't been the same ever since."

"Are you sure that's what he wants? Because judging by what I've seen, it would be very difficult to prevent one of you from doing as you wished." Iruka looked down at his sandal, wondering if there was more. So far it sounded like a generic psychic break of a very powerful shinobi.

Looking off into the distance, Kenichi furrowed his brow and sighed. "I don't see much of the future, Iruka-sensei. But I know that Riku sees his purpose, and once that is fulfilled..." He trailed off, shrugging, then turned to smile at Iruka. "You'll see when you meet him. Come, now." He started walking toward the psych ward. "He's very well behaved, and he's kept on the first floor. The council knows that if he wanted to escape, he would have by now."

Following, Iruka thought about what Kenichi said. Riku didn't want to die, not just yet. The man still had a purpose. He was just waiting for something. And Kenichi thought that something might involve Mitsuko as well.

--

"Ah, Uzuki-san! Are you here to see your brother?" A middle-aged man smiled from behind the front desk as he saw the two young men enter. He rose from his chair and prepared himself to lock them into Riku's room.

"Yes... How is he today?" Kenichi bowed politely to the man and smiled, walking closer, urging Iruka to come with them.

"Oh, he is showing great improvement. It seems almost like he has found a purpose, and he hasn't requested to be allowed to die in a good, long while." The man unlocked a large door and stepped through, waiting for the other men to step through before he closed it again. "This way," he said, turning down a long hallway.

Iruka looked at the wall, knowing if he looked at Kenichi he would start laughing. It was strange, hearing someone say what he had just thought. But the orderly wasn't an Uzuki, unless Uzuki men lost their good looks in middle age, and Iruka doubted that.

The orderly led them to a plain, white door, not guarded by anything, like some of the other doors were. He knocked gently. "Riku-san? Your brother is here to see you." The man opened the door and stepped aside. The occupant wasn't visible from the doorway, but Kenichi smiled and stepped inside, turning to beckon Iruka to come in. "Give us an hour." He said to the orderly, who nodded and closed the door behind them.

"Riku...? Where are you?" Kenichi sighed and looked around, wondering where his brother was now. A soft sound from the bed alerted him to his brother's presence, and he walked over. "Napping?"

"No," the voice was incredibly pleasant to listen to, and it reminded Iruka of a soft, summer breeze. "I was only resting a little. Hello, Iruka-sensei." A tall man stepped off the bed and walked over to him, and when he stood in front of Iruka, the chuunin had time to appreciate his looks. He had long, black hair, down to the middle of his chest. His skin was pale and flawless; his lips a soft pink, full and kissable, and his eyes were slate grey, reminding him of tranquil water on a grey, rain-threatening day.

Yet for the first time, Iruka was reminded of something else, or rather, someone else. Ryu's skin wasn't as pale, and with his height Iruka had never made the connection. True, he'd only seen pictures of Orochimaru - he hadn't been there when Sandaime died. "Uzuki-san," Iruka replied, suddenly intensely wary of the man. Had Kenichi truly been unable to sense his brother? If so, there wasn't any thought of Iruka's, no matter how deep or brief, this man could not extract.

"Hm... You associate me with Orochimaru." It wasn't said with malice, no... Riku merely tilted his head to the side and smiled a little, if sadly. "Yes, he is an Uzuki, as well." He turned and walked to the window. "But that is not why you have come. Why don't you sit down and tell me? Make yourself comfortable." Riku gestured with one slender, elegant hand as he stood by the window, his favorite spot in the room. Kenichi sat down on a chair and gestured for Iruka to take a seat as well.

There wasn't any sense in stalling, although Iruka wondered why he was there. Surely Riku could glean what he needed from Iruka without actual speech. "Mitsuko-chan had a disagreeable experience with her gift this morning."

"Oh?" Riku turned, an eyebrow cocked. "Indeed. Tell me."

Iruka nodded. "We were talking, sort of, and suddenly her entire body started to glow. And I saw, visions I guess I would call them. I don't know if she saw them or not. It was over almost as soon as it started, and she seemed to be in pain and very tired when it was done. That's when I took her home, and Kenichi-san asked me to come here with him."

Riku furrowed his brow in thought and started pacing around the room, as if concidering something. Then, he halted abruptly and turned to Iruka. "Iruka-sensei, I want you to stay close to Kakashi-san as much as you can, use that technique as often as possible, and make sure he is up to par before New Year's Eve. Something is going to happen, and I am not certain I like what I see." He started pacing again, an expression of concentration on his face, as if he was calculating something important.

Kenichi turned to Iruka and nodded, knowing that the man would have questions to ask, and also knowing his brother enough to know that he wouldn't pry when it wasn't necessary.

"I have a couple of questions for you, if you do not mind answering them, Iruka-sensei?" Riku halted again and abruptly seated himself in front of Iruka on the floor.

"Uh, sure." Iruka shifted in his chair, his gaze sliding to Kenichi. This was odd behavior, to be sure - was he supposed to stay seated or get on the floor as well?

Kenichi chuckled. "Just stay where you are. Riku _is_ odd." He received a slap on his leg in thanks for his efforts. "Oh, Riku... You _are _odd."

"He does not need to know that, my dear." Riku turned back to Iruka and tilted his head, humming a soft, beautiful melody. It was haunting, really, that voice. "Hm. I think I've found a question. Does Mitsuko talk yet?"

"No. But she is ready to learn. Actually, I need to talk to Hanako-san about it. She has promised to practice over the break, just today. If I had realized she had _never_ spoken, I would have brought it up sooner." Iruka smiled, remembering the disappointment on the girl's face when she couldn't produce the correct sound. "I think it will only require someone to show her how to move her lips and tongue, and vibrate her vocal chords properly. She can make noise, just not the noise she intended."

Riku looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hm... She is like me, then." He sat back and leaned on his hands, obviously lost in thought. "It is as I thought."

To clarify, Kenichi added: "Riku didn't speak until he was around the age Mitsuko is now."

"Does she know you, Uzuki-san? If so, you may be the best one to help her learn."

"She knows me, yes, but... I am afraid my condition will set her off." Riku didn't specify what condition exactly; he obviously assumed Iruka would understand. "She... is very sensitive. Now... Tell me... She started to glow, you said. Any particular color?"

"White," Iruka nodded, certain he had seen that at least. "The visions came soon after that, one right after the other." He forced himself to see them again, so Riku wouldn't have to ask him for details. It wasn't something he wanted to think about, one of those girls alone and hurt. He gritted his teeth when he felt his temper shift, just a little.

"I see... She is strong, then. It will be difficult to rein her in should she lose control." Grey eyes shifted to Iruka, intense and surprisingly sane. "If I am right in assuming this, Kenichi and my other brothers have also seen these images of the girls in the well when around Mitsuko-chan. Am I correct?" His sharp gaze snapped to Kenichi, who nodded. "I see." Riku lay down on the floor and looked up at the ceiling. "Be gentle with her, Iruka-sensei. She needs to see kindness now, more than ever."

Iruka sighed. "I'm not her teacher, Uzuki-san. And I've been more concerned in being _truthful_ with her than gentle. She seems to respond better, at any rate." He thought of Naruto, briefly, and nodded. "It must be terrible to be feared. At least Naruto was protected from the worst of it. Mitsuko-chan, she _knows_, and there's not much I can do to change that."

Riku smiled sadly. "It is my fault, you know? For going insane. They see my strength in her. Thank heaven's they do not know that Orochimaru is her father's uncle."

That shrewd gaze turned to Iruka again. "No, I do not mean for you to be dishonest with her, Iruka-sensei. I want you to treat her kindly. She has not seen much kindness in her life... And if what I suspect will happen comes to pass, she will need that kindness to draw strength from."

"Is something going to happen that would cause me to treat her other than I always have?" He had been fearful and suspicious at times, but he never thought he'd been unkind to any of his students.

The porcelain doll of a man seemed to be staring right into the very pits of his soul. "No. You are not of the disposition to act unkind to any child." Riku sat up, then rose again. "No... Something will happen, but I believe... You will be the only teacher to understand her motivation. I cannot disclose too much right now, but... I will tell you that it will not be pretty, and it will more than likely cause at least two deaths, if not more."

Kenichi, who had been listening quietly throughout their conversation interrupted. "Isn't there a way to stop it?"

Riku smiled sadly and pulled Kenichi into his arms, cradling him gently. "I am sorry, little one. I do not see a way." He looked up at Iruka. "The future rarely holds secrets from me, Iruka-sensei. I have seen every possible outcome, and none of them are good. Some are better than others, yes, but..." He shook his head, sinking back into his own world. As his eyes grew white, the other occupants of the room were almost knocked flat with the force of his power.

"What?" Iruka struggled to his feet, trying not to shout. "What do you mean 'you can't disclose too much'? If someone's life is in danger, you need to tell someone everything! Even if it's a false alarm. Even if you can't see the outcome. We can't be caught off guard again!"

"You do not understand, Iruka-sensei. If you know, it would change your attitude towards Mitsuko. The way you act towards her now is crucial. Your ignorance is better." Riku released his brother and stood in front of Iruka, towering over him, his now white eyes narrowed, looking too much like Orochimaru. "I could tell you, but Mitsuko would know. It would scare her and send her into frenzy. This would cause her to act rashly and deaths that could have been prevented would now happen. Do you not think I have seen that, as well?"

Iruka snorted, waving his hand dismissively. "I'm just a chuunin, Uzuki-san. I'm used to not knowing, even when knowing might have made the difference between life and death. Tell someone else. Tell someone that can help. Surely there's someone who can prevent this tragedy you see?"

"No." That was the only answer he got. "If it does not happen now, it will happen later." Riku was still sending out tendrils of power, seeing the patterns of time and what would transpire.

"Is there anything else you need from me, Uzuki-san?" Iruka asked, struggling hard to reign in his temper. He didn't understand any of this, and he didn't know how he was supposed to help. Why tell him anything then?

Riku let go of his power and sighed softly as his eyes returned to their normal color. "Let me explain something to you before you go, Iruka-sensei. Let me explain the responsibility of the Uzuki clan."

More explanations that would likely raise more questions than they answered. Cryptic statements that could be interpreted in a multitude of ways. No wonder Kakashi was friends with Ryu. "I'm listening," Iruka replied, leaning against the wall, trying not to cross his arms. What's underneath the underneath? Another underneath.

"We are seers, as you have probably understood by now. Some of us are powerful enough to know the future, and alert people to possible happenings. As it were, we cannot disclose exactly what the happenings will be, as that will disrupt things greatly. It will unbalance the world around us. Certainly, we can notify on small matters, but on the larger ones that will have great impact on the village..." Riku trailed off, then looked at Iruka, his eyes sincere. "If I felt that it would be right of me, I would have told you more. Trust me, for I do not wish for this to happen. Not to Mitsuko. She is a sweet girl. For now, you will have to settle yourself for enjoying the oncoming week in silence and be prepared for New Year's Eve. I want you to be among those in the search party. I will join it myself, and... Well... We shall see how it goes."

"Tell me, Uzuki-san? Did you know Sand and Sound were going to attack the Leaf?"

Riku closed his eyes and a pained expression crossed his face. "Sadly... Yes."

Iruka frowned and shook his head. "And did you know Sandaime... was going to die?"

"Sometimes, there are various outcomes to one event. Many possibilities said that he would live... But I suspected it. And I was right."

"Did you tell anyone, anyone at all, of these possibilities?" Iruka forced himself to take slow, deep breaths. "Did you do anything to prevent these things from happening?"

Riku looked down, suddenly unwilling to answer. Kenichi sighed and turned to Iruka. "It was during one of his difficult periods. He tried to tell them, but his caretaker at the time thought he was spouting gibberish and..." Kenichi shrugged. "He didn't get a chance to tell the Hokage before it was too late."

Iruka took another deep breath and relaxed. "I will accept that." He didn't know what he would have done if the answer had been different. If everything that happened could have been avoided.

"So you see..." Riku's voice was oddly quiet. "We have a large weight on our shoulders. Knowing things like we do, we cannot take our duty lightly. First and foremost, we protect the village, but we cannot hold the village's hand, or it would have been weak, supporting itself on an unstable foundation."

It made sense, he supposed. In the same way he allowed his students to suffer minor injuries so their skills would improve. Iruka nodded, unsure why he was being told this, but willing to wait it out. He told Kakashi he would be late tonight.

Riku walked over to the window and drew patterns on the glass surface with a slender finger, humming his mother's lullaby to himself. When Iruka and Kenichi thought he had retreated into his own mind and were preparing to leave, he turned again. "One more little tidbit... I will be there myself, but I hold little authority - can you try to make sure Sadako-chan will be paired with Neji-kun on the mission? It would make me happy." He smiled, satisfied with his chance at meddling some more.

Iruka didn't know if he meant that for himself or Kenichi, but he grinned anyway. "I will, but I wish you hadn't said anything. Sadako-chan will be mortified that I know anything about it."

"Oh, pish posh." Riku waved a hand. "A little mortification does anyone good, don't you think?" His eyes twinkled knowingly as he grinned at Iruka, clearly stating the unspoken. _I know what happened between my brother and you_.

_I think_, Iruka replied silently, _that everyone here knows what happened. And why_. "Although I do wonder if there is an Uzuki tendency to meddle ?" He watched Riku carefully. Ryu had admitted as much, but not why. "Why is Kakashi so necessary?"

"Ah, Ryu told you about the Uzuki tendency to meddle, did he? We have so much knowledge... Why not play matchmaker, hm? And yes, that was my idea." He turned again to look out of the window. "Kakashi is necessary, yes, but... To speak frankly, that is the only part I have seen. I don't know why, but I know that he must be there." His brow furrowed. "I am not used to not knowing things."

Iruka rubbed his scar, chuckling. "No, your brother didn't _tell_ me outright. But he did finally admit to it. But not why." He shrugged and went silent. It wasn't really necessary to know the why anymore.

"Oh, Ryu. He is so _vague_ sometimes. It annoys me. Even his thoughts are vague, when I bother to read them." Riku shook his head, as if his brother being vague was rude. He smiled. "Go, be with Kakashi, and don't fear. You are strong, Iruka-sensei, far stronger than your fellow teachers. I wonder why you are not a jonin." He gave his brother a small hug and, as he had now officially "dismissed" them, he walked back to his bed and lay down.

Kenichi smiled and walked over to the door, opening it to look at the orderly outside. "We're done." He gestured for Iruka to step outside first, then followed him. When they had left the ward and were out in the open again, he looked at the older man. "Does our being related to _him_ surprise you?"

"Yes, it does actually. I mean, I understand why you wouldn't want people in the village to know, but apparently some people do know. And I guess, if something bad is going to happen within your family, it would be better if it never became common knowledge." Iruka stopped, staring out at the last hints of the sun as it set. "I don't really understand any of this, or how it concerns me, but I will protect my students with my life. It is my job, after all."

Kenichi put a hand on his shoulder. "Riku... He's convinced that you can help Mitsuko in some way. He is extremely powerful, and I trust his judgment. So does Tsunade-sama." He looked at the setting sun, his hand slipping from Iruka's shoulder. "This is where our ways part. I'll see you again soon enough." Kenichi smiled and waved goodbye as he walked toward his own home, not too far away from the hospital.

--

So. Chapter nineteen is edited and posted, and I really hope you all liked it. There are a lot of OC cameo in this, and not much of Kakashi. I hope you guys don't mind.


	21. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer:** We no own. We just play. Have fun. Then put back.

And another treat...Saturday and all.

--

**Wolf's Winter – Chapter 20**

--

When Iruka returned, Kakashi was sprawled over the futon, looking up at the ceiling. He'd been bored out of his mind during the… what had it been, six or seven hours? Well, he'd been bored the entire time when Iruka wasn't home.

He had been confined to bed, because he didn't want Iruka to get pissed off about him walking around.

So he'd been in bed with his thoughts a good part of the day, and sometimes reading a little. However, not even his books held any appeal to him now. All he could think of were those gorgeous, brown eyes, the long brown hair… That cute scar.

He was a lovesick puppy if ever he saw one.

Iruka poked his head into the main room, and when Kakashi saw him, he just grunted in hello.

"Are you feeling okay?" Iruka asked, setting his satchel down on the table. The lantern on the table was lit, but the room seemed gloomy. If Kakashi wasn't feeling well maybe they shouldn't go out at all.

"Yeah. I stayed in bed all day and was a good boy. I'm bored." Kakashi frowned and sat up, rubbing his chest through his white t-shirt. "And I've also been wondering where you've been. I knew you were going to be late, but I was kinda curious."

Iruka hadn't intended to say anything about that, not just yet. Not until he'd had a chance to think about it. But he'd promised Kakashi to give a relationship a chance, and part of that was sharing things, good and bad. "Mitsuko-chan's powers are increasing, I think. She had some kind of episode at school today. I went to see Riku-san in the hospital to talk about it."

Kakashi tilted his head to the side and cocked an eyebrow. "How was he?"

Sitting down at the table, Iruka shrugged. "I guess he's fine. I've never met him before, so I don't know if his behaviors are normal or not. Kenichi-san seemed to think he was fine. At least whoever's in charge of him is listening to him." He sighed, looking at the table. "Something's going to happen, something that will involve me and the girls. And you as well."

Frowning, Kakashi scooted a little closer. "Did he say anything else?" He propped his chin up with his hand, his elbow on the table, staring at Iruka with his not very but still intense 'I want to hear more' expression.

"I'm charged with the responsibility of insuring you are completely healed before the end of the year."

"So... I'm only staying with you for another two weeks?"

Maybe it was a good thing, talking to Kakashi like this. Iruka heard the undercurrent in Kakashi's voice, mirroring his own. They both thought they would have more time together. "Not even two weeks. New Year's Eve is next Thursday."

Kakashi resisted the urge to slam his head down onto the tabletop. "That's only one week. How the hell are we going to manage this in _one week_?" Maybe his slight panic for his own health shone through, but, whether it did or not, that he actually cared was a good sign. He wanted to stay alive as long as possible for Iruka. "So... M... Mi... Mits... Mitsuko..chan is going to... become stronger? Did Riku say anything about what was going to happen?"

Iruka snorted and shook his head. "He wouldn't. He says I can't know. Something to do with my reactions and how it might make things more difficult." He set his chin in his hand, staring at the wall. "As for Mitsuko, it's not unusual. Most children with kekkei genkai show some kind of increase in power around puberty. She's right on schedule."

"Typical of Riku... The only time he ever really reacted to one of his own visions he got himself holed up in the ward." Trailing off, Kakashi started drawing invisible patterns on the tabletop. "Iruka... What's gonna happen to us when I'm well? After all of this? Is there even an us?"

"I don't know, Kakashi. The visions, and the way Riku-san was talking, I'm more worried about us both _surviving_ whatever it is. I thought... we'd have more time. To figure this out." He knew Kakashi wanted reassurance, but he couldn't give it. Not yet. "And now that I see this was all set up, carefully orchestrated by Uzukis, I wonder if we're both in our right heads." Iruka shook his head. This wasn't getting them anywhere, and it would cause Kakashi to brood. So much for sharing. "I really don't want to talk about this right now. Do you still want to go to the Memorial Stone?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I don't care..." It was obvious he did, but it was also obvious that he didn't want to be around Iruka at the moment. What the chuunin had just said came as a smack in the face and a bucket of ice water on the side. "Just... I don't know. Can I go alone?"

Iruka stood up, shaking his head. "Absolutely not. Well, let me know if you want to go later. I'm going to start dinner." The stress of the day was starting to wear on him and now he was worried about tomorrow, and the days after that. What was going to happen?

"Just... Tell me what you want me to do, damnit! Do you even _believe_ me when I tell you what I feel? How can I make you trust me more?" Kakashi really didn't know what he was saying, he just knew that he couldn't let Iruka go. 'Not when I'm this close...'

Then he was drowning in a field of brown as bright eyes stared back at him, brows drawn together just under the hitai-ate. "How do you know what you feel? How do you know it's you feeling those things and not someone else pushing you into it? How do you know this isn't just some temporary thing because you're hurt and injured and dependent on me to take care of you?" Iruka's voice wasn't loud, but Kakashi could hear the tension and confusion in it.

"I trust that you feel what you say you do. What I don't trust is that those are your real feelings. How do you know? Ryu admits he's meddled in getting us together, and Riku as well. How do you know, Kakashi? How can you know?"

"Because I've bloody well felt this way since the fucking chuunin exams!" Kakashi was humiliated to admit it, to say the least. To fall in love with a guy over a fight. What the fuck was wrong with him, right? It was just that... Iruka was so full of _life_, such fire and passion shone in his eyes, and he could drown in them over and over and be happy. "Satisfied now?"

It was ridiculous, Iruka thought as he sank to the floor, laughing. In a universe of wrong responses, this was right up there, probably in the top five. But he couldn't help it. He was so... relieved. He shoved Kakashi back down when the man tried to sit up, to escape or roll over Iruka didn't care. "Yes," he murmured against Kakashi's mouth, pressing his lips against those of the man he was probably falling for. Who had fallen for him months ago. "You would make things so much easier for yourself if you would just tell me stuff like this up front," he whispered before covering Kakashi's mouth and kissing him. The way it should be - no interference from anyone else, no stupid exchange or crazy Uzukis making him doubt himself and Kakashi.

Completely stunned by Iruka's response - but still thoroughly pleased - Kakashi could only blink for a moment before his brain kicked him in the butt as if to tell him 'Yo! Idiot! The man of your dreams is kissing you!'. He slid his arms around Iruka's neck and returned the kiss, pouring all of his pent up frustration, want, love and insecurities in it, until it built to an incredible intensity. All that existed in his world at that moment was Iruka, pressed close to him and kissing him, his scent, his feel, his incredible lips. Just Iruka.

"I know I cared about you before I came here," Iruka whispered. "I _know _that. I just didn't know why." He nudged the hitai-ate out of the way, nipping and sucking on the usually hidden earlobe, groaning when Kakashi hissed and bucked. The skin of Kakashi's face was so sensitive, his neck and ear even more so, Iruka proving just that by tracing the tendons of the man's face with his lips, his other hand snaking under the covers to stroke the prominent ribcage. Still too thin.

"You're killing my brain. I can't say anything witty in return when you're doing this." Kakashi's voice was slightly strained, panting and moaning as those torturously delicious lips slid over his skin, those warm, gentle and calloused hands sliding over his chest. "Iruka..." He moaned, hands sliding down the chuunin's back to hold his hips, squeezing gently. "Fuck you for making my body rebel against me..." Kakashi was so turned on he couldn't think straight.

Iruka enjoyed being a ninja, most of the time. Now, he was really enjoying it, because he could slither out of his vest, unwrap his legs and remove Kakashi's pajamas, all without breaking his contact with Kakashi's neck. "Fuck you indeed," he murmured, pulling the hitai-ate and ponytail off at once. It didn't make any sense, and Kakashi was in no way ready for that, but Iruka wanted him thinking about it. He slid his mouth lower, flicking his tongue against one of the flushed nipples that had entranced him yesterday, moving his head so his hair dragged across the rest of Kakashi's chest.

Kakashi's eyes flew open and then closed as he let out a hoarse groan (though it sounded more like a hoarse whimper), reaching out to bury his hands in Iruka's hair. His back arched when Iruka's mouth closed around his sensitive nipple, pressing into him, seeking more contact. "Iruka..." He couldn't even begin to voice his thoughts, they were blown out of his mind.

"I'm supposed to make sure you're healed by next week," Iruka growled, shifting so he could pull his shirt off with only the tiniest break in his exploration of Kakashi's chest. "I guess I should get started, hmmm?" He chuckled, a rumble deep in his throat, when he closed his teeth around the nipple and Kakashi squeaked. It was completely wrong to be doing this in the main room, anyone could just walk in, but Iruka didn't care. If Kakashi was going to be placed in danger, Iruka would deplete himself making sure Kakashi had every advantage.

"Fuck! Iruka..." He was so hard he couldn't believe it. Never before had he been this turned on. Wrapping his legs around Iruka, he used the leverage to slide himself further down, far enough so that he could claim Iruka's lips in a nearly brutal kiss. He wanted Iruka to _know_ how much Kakashi wanted him.

Iruka kicked the pants off, grunting into Kakashi's mouth when he felt sharp nails scratching down his back. He would need to cut those for Kakashi soon. Groaning again when he pressed his torso against Kakashi's, resting on his forearms and shins to hold most of his weight. Shifting again to align their erections. With Kakashi's legs around his waist, and Kakashi's arms around his back, Iruka was satisfied, drawing his chakra up and sending it out in one long trickle, tongue twining with Kakashi's as his hands roamed freely. He was going to blow Kakashi's mind.

Trembling beneath Iruka, Kakashi moaned, his eyes rolled back into his head, and he nearly lost control of his body. His hips ground up, Iruka's hot, hard cock sliding against his. It felt incredibly good. The chakra and the kiss were sort of the icing of the cake, they came as a bonus. It just felt wonderful, having Iruka on top of him like that. His hands slid further down that broad back, following the slight slope of the small of his back and then the curve of his buttocks, where they stayed. Squeezing gently, Kakashi pulled Iruka's hips closer to his own, sending their throbbing cocks crashing together, accompanied with the music of husky moans and groans.

It wasn't exactly comfortable, sliding together dry like that, but Kakashi's hips were insistent, and within a few seconds Iruka didn't even feel it, moving against Kakashi steadily, his hands sliding down the thin back to cup Kakashi's ass, balancing completely on his legs. Growling and panting, they moved, back and forth, and Iruka could feel the tingles all over his body, working hard at keeping the chakra flow steady. He broke the kiss to nibble down Kakashi's neck again, then sucked on the skin surrounding the bruised bite he'd left last night. It was healing well.

He didn't know exactly where he was, he barely knew who he was, but he _did _know one thing, and that was the person on top of him. "Iruka... Fuck..." Kakashi panted and arched, hips rocking harder against Iruka's. By now, they were both slick with copious amounts of precum and, as they slid more easily together, Kakashi's brain was on the verge of melting.

Damn, he was so close. Iruka didn't want it to end, wanted to continue kissing, biting and sucking Kakashi's skin until he passed out from exhaustion. But it would end soon enough. He pulled his chakra back, just a little, then sent it out in small waves, pulsing like the orgasm that was building would. Ryu said steady was best, but Iruka had read the entire chapter of that book. As long as he didn't overdo it, this would be fine.

It wouldn't be long now, he grinned, when Kakashi arched and pulled his head back to meet those rosy, swollen lips. He concentrated instead on tongue-fucking Kakashi's mouth, leaving no doubt exactly what he'd be doing if Kakashi were up to it.

Moaning loudly around Iruka's tongue, Kakashi arched and shuddered as he came. He nearly bit down on Iruka's tongue, but managed to just grind his hips extra hard against him, his fingers squeezing the taut buttocks.

The pulsing beneath his cock took Iruka by surprise, and he made a brief mental note of it, just before Kakashi's chakra rolled into him. Slammed into him, and Iruka blinked and groaned and howled when his own cock responded by trying to turn itself inside out. He was barely conscious, sending Kakashi's chakra back to him while trying to hang on to his own so he wouldn't pass out, or overwhelm the pale man's still-healing system.

Kakashi pulled Iruka down, still shuddering and moaning with pleasure, kissing him heatedly. "Iruka..." He sounded like he'd been screaming - and he probably had. "Iruka," he murmured again, pressing his lips more firmly to those of the man who held his heart. "You're a thief."

"Didn't steal anything," Iruka replied around the breathy shudders as he pulled his chakra back, slowly. Rolling their bodies until he was on the bottom with Kakashi pressed against him, he pulled one of the blankets up over them. "We'll eat later, okay? Tired."

Kakashi snuggled closer and buried his nose in the crook of Iruka's neck. "Mmm..." He pressed a soft kiss to the slightly sweaty skin and nuzzled. "I... love you," he whispered, barely audible, as he rested bonelessly against the chuunin.

He got just a 'mmm' and a slight squeeze before Iruka was asleep. But it was an improvement. Smiling, Kakashi moved a slightly floppy hand up to remove his hitai-ate completely and closed his eyes. Maybe, maybe Iruka could love him back. With those thoughts in mind and a happy smile on his lips, Kakashi drifted off to dreamland.

--

Iruka twitched his nose and shifted. He was warm, too warm, and something heavy was holding him down. And tickling his nose. Oh, he breathed when Kakashi's hair brushed across his nose again. Now the trick would be slipping away so he could make their dinner and heat the bath. It wasn't as cold as it had been, but it was still too chilly for Kakashi to sit in the kitchen. Naked.

Don't think about it, Iruka thought sternly, because the smell of sex was so strong, and Kakashi's skin so warm, he just wanted to roll over and... No, get up and heat the bath. And cook. Then, maybe, if Kakashi weren't too tired, they could do that again. He didn't feel tired, and there wasn't any reason not to.

Except, he still didn't know exactly what he wanted from this. Don't think about that either, he decided, sliding out from under Kakashi slowly and tucking the blanket around the pale man when he was done. He left the yukata on top of Kakashi, the one Ryu had used. Instead, he pulled his pants back on. They needed to be washed anyway.

Within twenty minutes, Iruka's stomach was growling. The bath was almost ready, and so was dinner. He would wait until everything was ready and then go wake the man up. Kakashi needed to eat. Chakra exchange alone wasn't going to cut it.

In his sleep, Kakashi flung an arm out to pull Iruka closer, and met a blanket. He frowned and his eyebrows furrowed in his sleep, then he blinked an eye open. "Iruka... You aren't in bed," he croaked, looking around to see if he could see the beautiful man anywhere.

He felt a lot better after the last exchange, and his body had stopped hurting. Also, he was aware of something else reawakening now that he was finally returning to health - his libido. With a groan, he slumped back in bed. "Iruka... Come here, please?"

Iruka nearly tripped when he heard Kakashi's voice just as he was coming back to wake him. His heart fluttered, then started pounding. Stop it! "I'm here. Dinner's almost ready. Did you want to take a bath... first?"

He trailed off, his mouth going dry because Kakashi was laying flat on his back, the blanket tossed aside. He shut his mouth with a click because he wasn't some teenager anymore, so why was he acting like it? "Um..." He scratched his nose nervously, unable to look away.

Kakashi reached out to him and beckoned him over, his eyes still a little lidded with the residues of sleep. "Come here, Iruka..." His voice was seductive in Iruka's ears, husky with sleep as it was. In truth, the mere sight of Iruka had his heart trying to jump out of his chest and the rest of his body in an uproar. Unaware of his nudity because his blood was too hot to feel the cold, Kakashi shifted to make room for him. "Come to me?"

Already moving, because how could he not, Iruka managed to lick his lips to answer. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea right now," he murmured, taking Kakashi's hand. "You need to eat," he added, his eyes tracing the line of bruises and tiny marks he'd left. "I'm afraid I'll break you in half."

"I don't care.. I want you." Kakashi tugged on the hand holding his, pulling Iruka down so he could kiss him. "I want you more than I've ever wanted anything before in my entire life."

"But the food's ready," Iruka said, his lips meeting Kakashi's gently at first, then all conscious thought left when he felt Kakashi's tongue meeting his. Then he nearly choked again when both of their stomachs growled. At the same time.

Kakashi chuckled softly, one hand coming up to stroke Iruka's hair. "How about we eat first and then continue this? Then we'll take a bath and go to bed. Does that sound okay to you?"

"Uh-huh," Iruka said, blinking to clear the lust-induced haze from his eyes. "How do you feel? Are you able to stand up?"

Those words triggered Kakashi's dirty humor. "Already standing at attention, Iruka..." He grinned and tugged the chuunin down for another kiss. "Mmm.. I can stand, yes."

Iruka let Kakashi tug him down, 'accidentally' brushing his fingers along Kakashi's erection. Several times. "Are you sure?" he grinned when Kakashi broke the kiss with a hiss.

"Nnnnhh... Not when you're doing things like that... Want to finish what you started?" Kakashi licked Iruka's lips and slid a hand down his torso to stroke him through his pants.

Mentally checking off what he'd done, Iruka shrugged. Nothing would catch on fire, and the water and food could reheat. "Are you sure you can handle it?" he asked, dropping his lips to Kakashi's collarbones. He hadn't left quite as many marks there, and he would enjoy rectifying that.

Kakashi arched into the touch and moaned. "I wouldn't have suggested it if I couldn't."

Iruka cocked his head and stared down at Kakashi. "Why is it I don't believe you?" he muttered, because if there was one thing he could count on with Kakashi, it was the man pushing himself too hard.

"Oh, come _on_, Iruka..." He was frustrated, his cock was throbbing and all he wanted was to feel Iruka all over his body. "I can handle it, okay? Why don't we just turn this into another transfer session? I can eat when you're done, take a bath and we can sleep..." Thinking of sleeping, Kakashi blinked. "Will you be sleeping in my bed, by the way?"

"If we make it that far," Iruka mumbled, mind still reeling because did Kakashi honestly think he would even _attempt_ this without the chakra exchange? Maybe in a few more days, but not yet. His skin was on fire again, so he brought up his chakra all at once before thinning it out and pressing it into Kakashi's body, using a bit more than he had before. This was going to go fast, and judging by the flush on Kakashi's chest, he wouldn't complain.

Kakashi simply wrapped his arms around Iruka and kissed him hard, wanting nothing more than to be held by him, kissed by him, touched, fondled and in any way cared for and loved by him. The chakra exchange intensified the arousal so much more, and he ground his hips up against Iruka's, discovering that Iruka himself wasn't exactly unaffected, either.

It was over all too soon, Kakashi decided, but his stamina wasn't up to par either. It only lasted a couple minutes, all too quick, but not lacking in passion.

His brain was more or less melted and he panted as he lay beneath Iruka, his hands running through the chuunin's hair, holding him close. "Do we still have to get up to eat, Iruka?"

"Yeah, you need to eat. I need to eat. And we both need a bath." Iruka sat back, pulling Kakashi up with him. He felt a little dizzy, and recalled Ryu's warning - doing this on an empty stomach wasn't such a good idea. "On the plus side, I think the tub's big enough for both of us."

Kakashi smiled - the big one that made him look like a happy cat who has found a nice spot of sun to nap in - and sat up to wrap an arm around Iruka. "Taking a bath with you sounds nice. I'd like that very much." He was quite satisfied - the only thing he needed now was food and a good cuddle. And to get well again, because his sorry state was starting to get the better of his temper.

"Come on," Iruka said again, hoisting them both up from the bed and snagging the robe with his toes. "It shouldn't take long."

--

Wow. Chapter 20 is done and edited and OH MY GOD! I am so happy you guys are stilling hanging on. Nobiki and I worked so hard, this became like… Our mutual brain-child. Unfortunately, I won't have her help to finish up the last bit. Which sucks. Hard.

Anyway – I hope you guys will share your thoughts! Thank you so much for all the reviews. They make me keep posting.


	22. Chapter 21

So I know I've been sort of "neglecting" the story. Well... There are reasons. Personal reasons. And one reviewer made me want to postpone posting even longer.

However, I felt that wouldn't be fair on the rest of you. So. Here's the next installment.

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill. No copyright infringement intended, we just play and have fun.

**Wolf's Winter - Chapter Twenty-One**

"Hey, freak!" Mitsuko turned as a boy shouted at her. She tilted her head, wondering idly what he wanted. Of course, he was going to be mean, but... No one had ever been mean to her before.

"Freak! All of your family are freaks!" A stone plummeted towards her, then stopped in midair an inch from her head. Her eyes narrowed.

"Did you know that your uncle killed his entire team? He's in the loony bin, but I think he got away too easily." The boy sneered. "My dad told me he should have been put down like a rabid dog." The boy's friends joined in on their taunting and Mitsuko grew more and more distressed. They didn't say much about her, it went more on her family, her sisters, her uncle, her mother, who they claimed had to be insane to marry an Uzuki.

Mitsuko wanted to scream, but couldn't use her voice. Her eyes narrowed, a faint, white glow enveloped her, and the stones that were hurled towards her bounced back and flew towards her assailants, as if they'd been batted away quite easily. When the stones hit and the boys didn't stop, she lifted the one who had started into the air and flung him across the playground. Then Sadako's arms were around her and she leaned into her sister's embrace, trembling with anger and grief.

---

"I can walk. I'm not putting my ass in that thing. Nuh uh. No fucking way." Kakashi crossed his arms and glowered at Iruka. There was no way the chuunin could get him into that chair, even if he promised him two blowjobs and a good, long fuck. He shifted a little, the memories of that one blowjob causing him to reconsider, just for a second.

"Why do we have to go through this every time?" Iruka sighed, shaking his head. "Until Godaime says differently, you will use this. And if you don't hurry, we are going to be late, which means she will be in a bad mood."

"We have to go through this every time because sitting in a wheelchair is _humiliating_! And we're going to the hospital. People will _see me_!"

Iruka tapped his foot, his arms folded. How was he going to work it this time? "What's it going to take to get you in the chair and out of the door in five minutes?"

"Compensation." Kakashi tapped his foot, arms folded, mirroring Iruka. Although Iruka didn't stand propped up against a wall.

"Meaning what exactly?"

Shrugging, Kakashi looked off to the side. "I'm sure you can think of something. Surprise me."

Iruka snorted and shook his head. "Fine, get in the chair. I'm sure I'll think of something." Eventually. He did have something in mind, but did it count if it was as much for him as Kakashi?

Kakashi sighed and made his way over to the chair. He plopped down on it and crossed his arms, clearly unhappy with having to be wheeled around. All the while he was muttering to himself about being perfectly fine and fit and at least able to walk around.

They made it to the hospital with five minutes to spare. Shizune gave them a gentle glare and moved to take over the wheelchair for Iruka.

Suddenly, Kakashi's hand shot out from the wheelchair and grabbed hold of Iruka's arm. "He's coming with me," he almost spat, daring Shizune to argue with his eyes.

Iruka met Shizune's astonished stare with one of his own. He was surprised, too. He shrugged and continued pushing the chair into the examination room.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes as the men entered the room. "Fine. Whatever. At least you haven't killed each other. Okay, brat, strip and let's see how much damage you've incurred this time."

Kakashi's nose twitched beneath his mask. "I've been a good boy and stayed in bed almost all of the time. No need to be so angry." He smiled up at her and wriggled out of his vest. The shirt followed, revealing the love bites Iruka had left on his torso, and then his pants slid to the floor and he was almost, but not quite, naked.

The room was silent, except for the subtle click of a machine that hadn't been turned off nearby. Iruka stood still, nearly at attention, trying not to look at Kakashi's skin, because the man was beautiful, but afraid to look at Tsunade because he just knew she was going to ask, or demand an explanation, and he didn't know what he was going to say.

"Umino. Outside. Now."

Kakashi sighed and squared his shoulders. "I'm feeling a lot better, Tsunade-sama."

She stood up and glared at them both. "I'm sure you are. The nurses will be right in to start. Your caretaker and I are going to have a little chat."

Iruka didn't exactly whimper when he felt a strong, small hand close painfully over his forearm. He looked at Kakashi helplessly. "Behave. And no throwing shoes this time," he managed, before he was forced from the room.

He followed Tsunade down the hall, his arm still in her grip, until she came to a small conference room. Iruka swallowed thickly when he heard the door slam behind her. He didn't bother talking - every time he tried, it usually got him into more trouble.

"Sit."

Iruka sat, staring at the table in front of him. He flinched when she slammed a clipboard down in front of him.

"I want you to explain," Tsunade hissed, and Iruka shrunk a little more when he looked up at her eyes. "I want a full report. Every little detail, starting from the minute Morino stepped into the house."

"Actually, he never came. Uzuki Ryu took over. He thought I would be more comfortable learning from someone I already knew."

Tsunade eyes widened and she sagged into the chair across from him. "How much do you know about the Uzukis?"

Iruka shrugged. "I had never heard of them before I started taking care of Kakashi. Now I've met all of the brothers, except one I think. I, uh, went to see Riku-san yesterday. He told me a little bit about, well, why they need Kakashi ready to go."

She sat there, staring at him for a moment before she stood up. "I'm sorry, Iruka. I know it seems I've been deliberately using you, but I can assure you..."

"It's okay, Godaime. I'm a chuunin and a tool of Konoha. I'm okay with being used in this way." He flushed suddenly when he realized how that might sound. "That is... I meant..."

Then he stared, because his Hokage was blushing as well, her eyes staring at the table. "I..." She shook her head and stood up. "You're going to write me the report. Every detail. I mean it. T&I can tell me everything about how to use it, but so far no one will cough up a firsthand account of actually _learning_ the technique. I am going to examine your, um... I'm going to examine Kakashi. Stay here, I'll need to talk to you before you go."

Iruka bent his head to the paper, characters flowing neatly onto the paper. Reports he could do, even about something like this. It was easy to detach, almost too easy, but he supposed it was experience - he'd written reports for failed missions, when people died or went missing.

---

Kakashi looked up when Tsunade entered the room, but didn't move from the bed. The nurses had been infuriating, blushing and giggling at the marks on his skin. He had cooperated, though, because he didn't want Iruka to get mad at him. "Hokage-sama," he greeted with a faint, pained smile.

Tsunade nodded and checked the clipboard hanging off the end of the bed. She checked his injuries, noting the changes as she worked. "Are you bored yet?"

"Quite." He cocked an eyebrow, looking up at her. "What did you talk to Iruka about?"

"Nothing. Yet. I wanted a full report on his experiences learning and using this technique." She pulled his arm, nodding when he merely grunted in pain. "Still tender. How bad is the pain compared to last week?"

"Compared to last week, this _isn't_ pain. It only feels like I've pulled a couple of my muscles." Kakashi let her do her physical check-ups, only uncomfortable when she prodded more sensitive areas.

She finished and made another notation to the clipboard, but left it on the table instead. "I would have preferred another week of this, but you're healing remarkably well, and I'm told we don't have the time. Tomorrow you'll start rehab here at the hospital."

"Which means working out to get my strength back, right?"

"Right. It also means you'll need to start eating more. You'll be tired, but it can't be helped. I'll send home a different tea with you - drink that before and after your visits here. It will help." She sat down on the stool nearby, staring at Kakashi. "Look, I'm not in the habit of getting involved in the personal lives of my shinobi, but I can't ignore... that." She gestured at the marks on Kakashi's body.

Kakashi blushed and was glad he had his mask on. "Uhm... Yeah. Iruka and I... We sort of... Found each other."

"It's not... unusual for a patient to develop feelings for their caretaker. Or for those feelings to be returned. But... it isn't healthy. Those feelings generally fade within a few months."

"Look... I've been in love with Iruka for months... Okay? I only acted on my feelings now... It's not like..." Kakashi sighed. "Never mind. I love him. I've just been very passive. As usual."

"Passive? You?" Tsunade had to laugh now, because Kakashi was the _least_ passive person she knew. "Can you honestly tell me this would have happened if you and he hadn't been forced together by his own stupid mouth and your hatred of recuperating in hospitals?" And her own sense of humor, but she kept that to herself.

"No, but I was already in love with him so there isn't a problem. Okay?" Kakashi was becoming highly agitated, and he hated the fact that Tsunade had so little faith in their fragile relationship.

"Okay. Did Iruka already return those feelings?" She eyed him carefully. He was fragile, physically and mentally, and she hated doing this, but if she allowed this to continue without knowing, she would ultimately be responsible for the fallout.

Kakashi shrugged. "That's what he said... He said he at least _cared_ before this happened..."

"Caring about someone isn't the same as love, brat." She took a deep breath, willing her blush to subside. "Did anything... physical... happen before you began the chakra exchange therapy?"

This time, Kakashi was the one to blush furiously, as the memories of that particular blowjob came to mind. "Yes."

Tsunade nearly fell off her stool in surprise. That hadn't been the answer she'd been expecting. She chuckled then, nodding. "I'm surprised you were up for it." They might actually have a chance, and she couldn't see any reason to object. "Well, then, that's different. I suppose I don't need to be worried you're going to slip away and take a mission while I'm not looking?" Her usual wry smile was back, because she wasn't going to miss this opportunity to dig at Kakashi, just a little.

Kakashi was feeling playful, so he cocked an eyebrow. "Hmm... No, but I might try to run away with Iruka. Steal him away and take him to a hideout where we can be all alone, with no interruptions."

"It's fortunate at least one of you has a strong sense of duty. Too bad, though. I know a lot of nurses who will be crying in their beers when word of this gets out."

"Oh? Are they so in love with Iruka?"

She laughed out loud. Oh, this was good. Almost as much fun as sparring with Jiraiya. "Actually, yes. He's considered quite a catch, you should know. Perfect husband-material." Her eyes narrowed, a grin across her face. "Are you sure you're ready for the competition?"

"Hmm... I think I am." Kakashi smirked. He was definitely going to fight to keep Iruka. _His_ Iruka.

Tsunade stood up, nodding. "Okay, you can get dressed. I've said all I need to say about this. And, Kakashi? Don't give Otome-san a hard time during rehab. Otherwise I can always see if Konoha's Beautiful Blue Beast is free."

"Fine. Let Guy train me." Kakashi did _not_ want to be trained by that old hag.

"Look, brat, you will accept whatever training I choose, from whomever I choose." Tsunade glared down at him, shaking her head. "And if I need to call in Guy, I'll make sure he brings another green suit with him. I've been told he keeps several sizes available to give as gifts."

Kakashi was _almost_ willing to wear the green suit. Keyword: Almost. He grumbled and sighed. "Fine. But I want you to know that when I'm up to par, I'm leaving the village or killing that old hag."

Tsunade flinched at Kakashi's choice of words, but silently agreed with Kakashi. The woman was overbearing, nearly insufferable, but she was magic with her hands. "How about you'll do your best not to end up in the hospital again so her services won't be needed, hmmm?"

"You know that isn't going to be simple..." Kakashi looked off to the side and sighed softly. "My missions are never easy, and they always require me to do things that are almost impossible. I can't guarantee that I won't be harmed again, but... Can Iruka stay with me when Otome-hag is there? I feel better around him."

"Not for the next few days, the teachers are busy getting ready for the Winter Break. But after that, I don't see any reason why not." She grinned again, because she would love to be there when Otome found out Iruka was seeing Kakashi. Like that. She'd been going on and on about setting Iruka up with her daughter, or niece, or neighbor's granddaughter...

"Hmph. She keeps nagging on how she wants Iruka to marry her granddaughter. It pisses me off."

Oh, yes, she was definitely going to be there when Otome found out. "Get dressed, brat, so your friend can take you home. Eat, drink the tea, and do the stretching exercises Otome-san gives you tomorrow. Iruka will be ready to go in a few minutes." She left the room, clutching the clipboard hard to keep from laughing out loud.

---

"It can't be helped," Goko-sensei said, shaking his head sadly. "We have too many other children to worry about."

"They'll object. You know they will. And her mother is a Hyuuga. If Hiashi-sama gets involved..."

"He won't. I've heard they're starting to rethink their association with that family."

Goko-sensei stared at the other teachers, frowning. "What about the other girls? And there's one more still at home."

"Harumi hasn't been a problem. And I don't think Iruka-sensei has had any problems with Sadako either."

"But then, Iruka has always done well with the more... unusual students. We all thought Naruto was going to flunk out." A nervous chuckle ran through the room.

"He's not going to like this," Goko-sensei said, frowning. Iruka did have a way with Mitsuko, with all of the children who didn't quite fit in. The man seemed to have no fear at all when dealing with them.

"No, he won't, but you're correct, it's the right thing to do. That girl is dangerous. I mean, if she would _speak_ normally, or something, we might be able to work around it. But the other children are afraid of her. And eventually the other parents are going to protest."

"So, who's going to meet with the parents?"

Goko-sensei sighed. "We'll have them come in on Saturday afternoon, after classes are over. Iruka should be free then as well." He felt just a twinge of conscience over saddling the man with a decision not of his choosing. "He'll do as he's told."

The Director nodded, glad to have the decision made and behind him. "He will. Until then, keep this to yourselves. If the family finds out ahead of time, the girl might throw a fit."

---

Kakashi rested on the porch, nestled happily in a pile of blankets Iruka had made for him. He was reading - or pretending to read, anyway, because he was much more interested in watching Iruka's shirtless back as he washed their dirty sheets. Smiling to himself, he followed his movements with his eyes. Iruka was so gorgeous it almost hurt to watch him.

The man scrubbed the sheets, then twisted them, the muscles rippling around the curious scar. Funny, Kakashi had never really taken the time to really notice it, but without it he doubted he would have even met the man. He idly wondered if it was sensitive.

Another rinse and the sheet was hung over the line. Iruka looked over to Kakashi and smiled when he saw the man watching him. Then it was back to work with the dogged determination Kakashi was beginning to expect from his... lover?

Kakashi smiled and tried to read again, but his eyes always strayed to Iruka after a few minutes, seconds... milliseconds, perhaps?

He snuggled back further in his nest of blankets and gave a happy sigh. He was happy. Iruka was his... Although _how_ exactly evaded him. But it felt good. Kakashi was happy with being Kakashi.

Iruka ruffled Kakashi's hair as he walked by, grinning. It felt nice to have a warm day after a cold snap. Snow came so rarely to Konoha, and Iruka was glad of it. He was airing out the house now. The futon was already hung up, still damp from the scrubbing. They would need to use towels next time, or something. It would be too embarrassing to return the item stained.

He wrestled Kakashi's mattress off its frame, scooting it past Mr. Ukki so he could set it out in the sun. It really didn't need it, but with New Year's coming up, Iruka felt good doing something. The Uzuki twins had already cleaned, top to bottom, so all Iruka had to do was dust and damp mop.

Iruka was absolutely gorgeous, Kakashi decided. He also enjoyed watching the chuunin clean house. It felt like home. Kakashi hadn't felt at home in a very, very long time. "Hey... Iruka?"

"Hmm? Did you need something, Kakashi?" Iruka answered absently, trying to angle the mattress to keep it out of the dirt, but in the sun.

Kakashi chuckled. "No... I just wanted to let you know that you're beautiful."

Iruka felt his skin heating up, his heart suddenly thudding in his chest. Kakashi sat with his mask on, but now that Iruka knew the face underneath, he barely noticed it. No, Kakashi was the beautiful one. "Um, okay," Iruka managed to stammer back, shaking his head. Kakashi had been like this since they left the hospital. He hadn't even protested the wheelchair.

The trip back had been tranquil and pleasant. They hadn't spent too long at the Memorial Stone, and Kakashi had been content to lay on the porch in the sun while Iruka worked. A few more pieces of laundry and Iruka would be done. "Here, let me wash that shirt," Iruka said suddenly, holding his hand out for it.

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow and slid out of his shirt, handing it to the chuunin. "Here." He nestled down beneath the blankets again, glad for their warmth.

"Kakashi, lay in the sun," Iruka said, frowning. "You need the sunlight on bare skin. Otherwise I'm going to start making you drink milk."

Sighing, Kakashi slid out of the blankets and rolled over, his bare, lithely muscled chest with all the love bites visible to Iruka's eyes. "Happy now, Iruka?"

Iruka stunned them both by winking. "You're the beautiful one. You look even better like that." He tossed the shirt Kakashi had given him into the tub of water and crouched over Kakashi's body, eyes narrowed. "But you're healing too quickly. I guess I'll just have to work harder." He bent lower, carefully keeping his sweaty body away from Kakashi's skin, and holding Kakashi's hands just in case the man tried to pull him down. Then he swiped his tongue down one side of Kakashi's exposed hip bone before baring his teeth and dragging them over the sensitive skin.

Kakashi hissed and moaned, struggling against the hold Iruka had on his hands. "Hnn... What're you going to do to me?" He asked, slightly coy.

Biting down on the skin again, Iruka sucked his way over the bone, lapping at the inside skin. "Taking advantage of you before you get strong enough to defend yourself," he growled.

Letting out another gasp, Kakashi bit his lip. "That's not very nice, Iruka." He struggled again, still in vain. "But... If you ask nicely, I'll let you take advantage of me whenever you want to."

Iruka pulled back with one last lick. "I need to go out for a bit. I won't be gone long. I know it's not exactly healthy, but I was thinking I could pick us up some food on the way back. I figured we deserve it, having to drink that disgusting tea of Tsunade-sama's."

Kakashi shuddered. "Mmm... That's okay. Ramen?"

"You're kidding, right? You _like_ ramen?" Iruka was pretty sure Kakashi was just saying it because he knew somehow Iruka liked it.

"Mm. Ichiraku has amazing miso soup." Kakashi grinned. He'd finally let a small fact about himself slip.

"Fine, miso soup for you. Miso ramen for me. Roll onto your stomach. Your chest is going to burn."

"It's getting cold. Can I put on the blankets?" Kakashi gave Iruka his best puppy eye, complete with a mask-covered half-pout.

"Wait five minutes," Iruka sighed, shoving his hand in his pocket to prevent himself from petting Kakashi's head again. "Then you can wrap up again. Back soon." He pressed his lips against Kakashi's forehead and walked inside to get dressed.

----

Hope you enjoyed. You know how things work by now ^_^


	23. Chapter 22

Another installment, because I figure you've all been waiting for this ^_^

**Wolf's Winter - Chapter Twenty-Two.**

Iruka stood in his apartment, sighing. It looked deserted, as if no one had lived there in months instead of just a few days. He grabbed a few things, some books he'd been meaning to read, and some extra supplies. Finally, he dragged a box from the closet and pulled out a book wrapped in old newspaper. Kakashi wanted compensation - Iruka was pretty sure this would suffice, if only for inspiration. It had certainly inspired Iruka over the years.

Stuffing everything in a pack, he jumped off the balcony and went by Ichiraku to pick up his order. Teuchi-san had added some things to Kakashi's soup he guaranteed would help the man get better, and Iruka didn't bother asking how the ramen-maker even knew about it. If the other hidden villages had any sense, they would kidnap the shopkeepers of Konoha for information. He would need to keep that in mind - it would be make an interesting seminar topic.

---

The rays of the sun warmed Kakashi's body and he let out a happy sigh as his eyes slid shut. This was bliss. Iruka returned some of his feelings, they were attracted, he'd soon be well and everything would be fine. Perhaps. He'd worry about it later, when the time came. Relaxation sounded good just about now.

The jonin slipped into a light doze and dreamed. Iruka was close to him. They were kissing, and the chuunin's hand was in his hair. The scene took place in a meadow, with all kinds of flowers. Beautiful flowers, and the sakura trees were in full bloom. There was a black cat on a branch and Ton-Ton was flying around nearby. And then the smell of pork and miso ramen. It was heavenly.

Kakashi's nose wrinkled and he wiggled further into the blankets. It felt good.

Iruka shook his head, trying not to laugh. He wouldn't be able to sneak up on Kakashi much longer. But the man looked so cute, his lips moving a little in his sleep, and his nose wrinkled up like that. He left the mask down around Kakashi's neck - they would be eating soon anyway.

Instead, he raced around, finishing up the laundry and setting it to dry in the kitchen. Heating up the stove for tea. Bringing in the dry clothes and sheets, and dragging the mattress and futon back inside. He could fold clothes after dinner.

Kakashi wriggled around in his sleep, blankets soon a cocoon around him. His ass stuck up in the air and a small amount of drool slid from the corner of his mouth and onto the pillow his face was pressed into. It made him look like an odd caterpillar.

Kneeling down, Iruka pushed Kakashi's hair back, tracing one of the scars on the man's face, a thin one that went down the side of his jaw, then dipped to his throat. Iruka was very familiar with the scar now. "Food's here," he whispered, blowing another gentle puff of air across Kakashi's ear.

Kakashi narrowly avoided breaking Iruka's nose on the back of his head as he sat bolt upright. "Uhhh... Hnnn?" He squinted at the chuunin. "Oh... It's you."

Yeah, that was going to become more of problem, Iruka thought. As Kakashi got better, Iruka would need to be extremely careful around him. "Hm. Not much of a greeting," Iruka said with a grin. "And after I went out and got you dinner."

Chuckling, Kakashi flung himself at Iruka. "Oh, Iruka! My hero! You brought me foood!" He kissed him noisily and grinned. "Like that better?"

Iruka shook his head, rubbing his mouth. "Um, yeah. Only next time, less sarcasm. And less drool, too." He stood up, looking down at Kakashi still on the porch. "Do you need help unraveling yourself? Or should I just bring the soup out here?"

Kakashi blinked owlishly and looked down at himself. "Uh.... Bring soup out here. The weather is nice today."

"It is. It should stay that way for a while. At least, that's what Teuchi-san said. I'll wait a day before I put the heater away, just in case." Iruka went inside and returned with Kakashi's bowl. "Here you go. Specially made, just for you. It seems the shopkeepers' network is alive and well - everyone I met knew you were out of commission."

Groaning, the jonin made a face. "Noooo..... Please don't say it's true." Kakashi grumbled and growled as he wriggled into a somewhat upright position. "Fuck it. I bet... No, no matter how exuberant and overjoyed at helping Guy is, he wouldn't spread it around. Ryu is too secretive..." His eyes narrowed. "Maybe a medic, or Otome-hag, huh?"

"I think it's just business as usual, Kakashi. The shopkeepers always seem to know more about what's going on. I was just thinking if we ever want information about Mist or Sand, we should kidnap the most popular waiter or something." He chuckled, sitting down with his own bowl in his lap. "For all I know, they could be already paid by Konoha to spread gossip."

Kakashi laughed and shook his head, snapping his chopsticks apart. "Itadakimasu." Then he grabbed his bowl and dug in. "Mmmm.... Hm? What's this? It doesn't taste or smell the normal way."

"Teuchi-san wouldn't say. He just said it would help you get better. Old family recipe or something. He did promise there wasn't anything in it you couldn't eat, or didn't like. You must have eaten there more than I realized for him to know all of that about you." Iruka put his bowl down and stood up. "I forgot our tea. Be right back."

"Okay." It didn't taste half bad, but the combination was a little odd. Oh, well. It did him well, probably. "It's really good," he called after Iruka, wanting to let the chuunin know that he was happy with the food he'd brought.

"I'm glad to hear that. It will make up for having to drink this." It was revenge of a sort, that he and Kakashi were prescribed the same tea. It probably wasn't as disgusting as the stuff Kakashi was drinking before, but it was still pretty noxious. And it smelled worse. Fortunately, it needed to be taken hot, so Iruka only had to make a little bit at a time. "Here you go."

Kakashi grabbed the cup, squeezed his nostrils shut and poured the entire cup down his throat. Then he made a face and moaned in pain. "Still better than sipping it."

"Except you won't be able to taste your food now," Iruka snorted back. Kakashi's mouth was so sensitive to touch, he wondered how the man could tolerate to eat hot ramen in one gulp. Or drink hot tea the same way. "How do you manage to do that without hurting yourself?"

Shrugging, the jonin pointed to his chest. "Chakra."

Oh, fuck. That was the wrong answer. Kakashi tried not to cringe when he saw Iruka's eyebrows shoot together as the man set his tea down with a hard clack. "Chakra?" Iruka hissed back. "Are you telling me you've been using chakra to drink tea?"

"Eeeeehhh... Just... A tiny bit? Like... A centimeter to a mile?" Kakashi smiled, cringing slightly at the thundercloud shaping above Iruka's head.

"Oh, just a little bit." Iruka took a deep breath, smiling. "Tell me, Kakashi, is there anything else you've been using a little bit of chakra for? Anything at all?"

"Hmmm..." Kakashi's brow furrowed as he tried to remember. "Only that time when I couldn't stand and you gave me that blowjob afterwards."

It would have to be that, wouldn't it, Iruka thought as the anger drained out of him. "Would you please not do that? You're not supposed to use _any_ chakra at all." He couldn't even look at Kakashi at the moment, and he knew he was blushing, because he could remember everything, even if Kakashi couldn't.

"But.... I don't want to be a bother... And that stuff is _vile_!"

Iruka sipped his tea, nodding. It was. "If I can handle it, you can too. Finish your soup." He wasn't even going to start on the 'bother' part of the statement, the same way he'd ignored the 'Otome-hag' comment earlier. He understood the sentiments behind both.

They finished their meal in silence, the only light coming from the lantern in the main room. The garden was peaceful, and the air was cooling down quickly.

Kakashi huddled further under the blankets and sent Iruka a pleading look. "Can you come here and warm me?"

"How about I go put the sheets back on your bed? You can sit up and read while I finish folding clothes."

That was not quite the thing Kakashi had in mind. "And here I was hoping we could be all manly and cuddle a little." He sighed and grumbled, then smiled. "Fine, but only if you promise to sleep in my bed."

Iruka smirked to himself as he left the porch. Once he handed over his little art book, cuddling would be the last thing on Kakashi's mind.

---

"Here, I brought you something to read while I'm busy." Iruka handed over the flimsy book with the newspaper wrapping, his face carefully neutral. He sat down on the end of the bed, angled so he could watch Kakashi as he worked.

Kakashi stared at the book, quite puzzled. "Uh... Okay..." He unwrapped the newspaper and tilted his head. It _looked _interesting... And then he opened, started reading and his eyes bugged out, jaw seemingly dangling. He choked a couple of times and started reading more intently, and soon wished he hadn't because... Iruka and him, in those positions.... He nearly creamed himself at the thought.

Icha Icha was a grade school textbook compared to this. The pictures were old. Some were merely ink drawings, but others were full-page full-color photographs. Graphic positions, covering a wide range of kinks and fetishes. Iruka kept himself from grinning, watching the flush creep over Kakashi's face. And once Kakashi actually started reading the stories... Yeah, Icha Icha was nothing compared to this. Hell, you couldn't even _buy_ something like this in Konoha. He folded another shirt, stacking them in neat piles on the floor.

When he started reading, Kakashi had to stare at his... lover? for a little while. Was this really the kind of literature Iruka had lying around at home? It was... hardcore porn, if he was going to be brutally honest. And he loved it, but couldn't fight the blush on his face, nor the insistent throbbing in his lower regions. He continued reading, soon moaning quietly and shifting uncomfortably around on the bed, aroused beyond imagination. It was too much, but not enough, all at the same time. He wanted Iruka. Now.

"Is there a problem?" Iruka asked, still working on the laundry. He turned his face away because it was too hard not to grin at Kakashi's obvious reaction to his present.

"Get over here. This instant." Kakashi nearly growled the words out, because his tongue had locked itself up and wouldn't really cooperate.

"I'm almost done with the laundry," Iruka answered smoothly, shaking out a pair of pants. "Are you enjoying your book?"

Kakashi groaned and shifted again, sending the obstinate chuunin a smoldering glare. "Enjoying it is an understatement. Why do you have this book, anyway?"

Iruka shrugged and folded the pants. "You read Icha Icha. I read that. Although I don't carry mine around in public." He slid off the bed and began putting the piles of clothes away in the trunks. "I got it a few years ago in a bookstore in Rain Country." He wasn't going to bother answering the 'why' - that should be obvious.

The man on the bed almost whined. "Irukaaaa..." He sighed, then continued reading. Iruka would pay. Later. Definitely. When he was well again, Kakashi would make Iruka pay.

"You should read the story on p.42," Iruka whispered as he walked by on his way to the main room. "It's a personal favorite." It hadn't been at first, because Iruka thought it was trite - the typical shy teacher turning the tables on an overbearing police officer, complete with spanking and handcuffs. But as he got older, Iruka appreciated it more and more. The illustrations were superb, as well.

Kakashi shrugged and flipped the pages, then began reading. It was hotter than he'd imagined, and with the pictures... He couldn't help himself, so he slid a hand down beneath the covers and wrapped long, slender fingers around his much too hard cock. He gave a satisfied moan and stroked slowly as he read, just enough to not come and still alleviate the pressure building.

Even better, Iruka thought as he watched from the next room. He waited until Kakashi turned the last page of the story, shifting his hand under the blanket again. "Did you enjoy yourself, Kakashi?" he purred into the man's ear, sliding his own hand under the blankets to cover Kakashi's and squeezing lightly.

His answer was a shuddering moan as Kakashi leaned into him and thrust his hips. "Iruka..." He murmured, voice husky and dark with want and need. Turning his head, Kakashi claimed Iruka's lips in a slow, sensual and heated kiss, clearly aroused as all hell.

"Are you lucid, Kakashi? Do you know where you are and who I am?"

Kakashi frowned. "Iruka?"

Iruka repeated his seemingly random question, staring down into Kakashi's face.

Feeling a little put out and not a small amount of fear, Kakashi sat up and shifted away. "Iruka? What's wrong?"

He was pushed back onto his back with a smiling chuunin crouched over him. "Just answer the questions, Kakashi. They're not difficult. I want to make sure."

"Uhm... Okay? You're Umino Iruka-sensei, and we're at the cottage the Hokage assigned us to when you were given the mission of seeing to my recovery. Is that good enough for you?"

"Perfect," Iruka mumbled, bending his head to press his lips against the bare skin of Kakashi's stomach, tracing small circles as he angled down Kakashi's torso. "Did you know there's a lesson in that story, Kakashi?"

Frowning, as his brain wasn't quite cooperating, Kakashi made a noise that was a mix between a moan and a confused chuckle. "Uhm... No? It sort of... Slipped my mind."

"Too bad, I guess you'll have to read it again. Kind of like... homework." Kakashi's pants were undone and down around his knees in an instant, and Iruka licked a long stripe up the suddenly exposed cock. He'd been thinking about doing this again, wanting this ever since he'd decided he would give a relationship between them a chance. He had to know if the intensity would be the same as it had been that night, and it had to be done without any chakra involved.

Kakashi's back arched harshly and he actually whimpered, a hand shooting down to tangle in Iruka's hair. "Ohgod, Iruka..." He bit his lip and moaned hoarsely, hips giving a slow roll as he became even more aroused than he had been before. "Fuck.... More. Please."

Iruka chuckled a little, taking his time, slow licks on the side, teasing the tip with his tongue, pulling the shock of white hair at the base with his teeth, everything gentle and calculated to get the maximum response. Only when Kakashi's hand in his hair tightened almost painfully did he slide his mouth completely down the silky hot cock with a long, low moan.

"Ahhg... _Iruka_!" Kakashi grunted, hips bucking lightly. Damn, but this felt good. "Harder..." He bit his lip hard and moaned huskily. "Suck me harder!"

It was the best kind of music, listening to Kakashi's voice, every dip in tone signaling just how much Iruka was affecting him. Iruka took a deep breath, not wanting to choke himself this time, before he slid his mouth back down, increasing the suction. It felt great, just knowing Kakashi wasn't incoherent this time, that he wanted this.

Kakashi's free hand flew to Iruka's hair, and he could barely keep himself from thrusting into that hot, wet, incredibly tight mouth as both his hands tangled in long, brown hair. He bit his lip until it was bleeding and was quite vocal about his enjoyment. "Fuck, your mouth feels so _good_, Iruka... Nnnhh.... Harder..." With every slide of that mouth around his cock, Kakashi's voice grew deeper, more husky. Soon, he had to give up talking at all, his tongue wouldn't obey him.

Pulling off just for a second, Iruka looked up at Kakashi's face. One day he was going to 'borrow' a camera to capture this. He was a fairly competent artist with ink, but black ink on paper could never approximate the flush on Kakashi's skin, or the sheen of his hair in the flickering light. "Go ahead, Kakashi. You can move however you want." He slid his mouth down again, sliding his hands under Kakashi's ass to stroke and squeeze the muscles there. Kakashi would likely pass out after this, but sometime later tonight, he would wake up, and they would proceed with the exchange normally. Well, maybe not so normally, considering the other little gift he'd brought from his house.

The jonin gasped and whimpered as he thrust his hips up, slowly at first, then as he got more confidence in Iruka's control of the situation, he went a little faster. Iruka's hands were on his ass, Iruka's hair was twined around his fingers, and best of all: Iruka's mouth was on his cock, sucking hard. "Iruka…" He moaned, unable to get anything more out besides a slightly choked groan. It felt like he was going to explode, and he would probably come soon. Still… He bit his lip and let out a purring groan, forcibly suppressing the fog in his brain. "Nnnh… Iruka... You feel so incredibly good. Can I return… Nnnmmh… The favor sometime later?"

Iruka didn't even bother trying to answer. Anything he could have said would have just come out garbled anyway. Instead, he put his mind to his task - Kakashi was much too coherent for his tastes, meaning he needed to pull out a few more tricks. A few quick swipes around the glans, coupled with some judicious nips should do the trick.

Kakashi kept trying to keep his mind clear, but it was terribly difficult. His eyes rolled back and he let out the most sexually charged moan Iruka had ever heard before in his life - obviously this was not something Kakashi did very often. The jonin tried to say Iruka's name, to let him know how much he appreciated it, but he couldn't make his tongue work. He was only capable of thrusting, driving his cock into that delicious, hot mouth.

Taking another deep breath, Iruka held Kakashi's hips still, pushing his mouth as far down as he could and upping the suction yet again. That should do it - he wouldn't be able to keep that kind of pressure up for long, but judging by the trembling underneath him, he wouldn't have to.

Kakashi arched off the bed, crying out his release, spilling into Iruka's mouth just at that moment, hands clenching painfully in beautiful, brown locks. He trembled with the aftershocks, mind completely vacant, and went limp. His eyes remained opened, and a rather stunned expression was painted all over his face.

"You're getting stronger," Iruka murmured, rubbing his face against the skin of Kakashi's inner thigh. "You passed out the last time." He blushed and looked down suddenly, because Kakashi was just _staring_ at him. "It's okay, right? You don't mind letting me, uh, do this?"

"Uuh?" Kakashi couldn't quite believe how Iruka could ask him if he didn't mind. "Of course I don't mind... That was.... Wow.... Fantastic." It took him just a little over a minute to grind out the sentence, but he finally managed to get his brain to cooperate, even if the words ended up being a little slurred.

Iruka crawled up the pale body, nudging Kakashi's nose with his own. "Bath? Or sleep?" He needed a bath - no way was he sleeping in Kakashi's bed without a bath.

"Can I take that bath with you?" Kakashi smiled and lifted his head to nip Iruka's bottom lip. "Hm?"

"Sure. Of course. I'll go heat it up right now." Iruka kissed Kakashi gently, then pulled back to slide off the bed.

Kakashi's heart thumped madly, and the gentle kiss almost stole his breath away. I'm so in love with you, Iruka... But I'm not willing to scare you away with that - yet.

---

Iruka peeked around the door carefully, trying to move silently. He could tell Kakashi was sleeping - he had expected as much. The question was should he wake him up for the bath, or let him sleep? The man hadn't quite cocooned himself yet. There was something very soothing about watching one of the most dangerous men in Konoha sleep. Iruka couldn't explain it, but it made him very... protective of Kakashi. Ridiculous, but there it was.

Kakashi lifted a hand to rub at his eyes and stretched, yawning hugely. "Mmm... Hello, Iruka. Is the bath ready?"

"It is. Are you sure you want to get up? You don't exactly need one."

"And miss a perfect chance to bathe with you? Huh. No, I will be getting up. I'm going to need pleasant memories tomorrow, and things to look forward to." Kakashi smiled and wriggled to free himself of the blankets. While he hadn't manage to tangle himself completely up yet, he had succeeded in rolling on top of the edges. Untangling himself would be quite a task.

Laughing, Iruka pushed Kakashi back down and set to work on digging the blankets out from under Kakashi. If he left the idiot to do it himself, Kakashi would probably fall off the bed. "Have you always done this?" he asked absently, tossing another layer off.

"Mmm... Yes. When I was little, my... Never mind." Kakashi remembered how his father had always laughed and rolled him out of the blankets in the morning, while his mother had been standing in the doorway. He hadn't thought of it for quite some time, but... Now, it was all so clear.

"It's okay," Iruka said, pulling the sheet back. He knew nothing about Kakashi's life, really nothing about Kakashi himself. But, surprisingly, it didn't seem to matter as much as it had just a few days ago. "Come on, you're free of the blanket monster. The bath is ready."

Kakashi almost choked. Those were the exact words his father had used when he was little. It hurt, hearing those words again. Made him think of how much he actually _did_ miss his father, even if he didn't tell anyone. It wasn't an acceptable topic of conversation, after all.

"Kakashi? Are you okay?" Iruka tipped Kakashi's face up, staring down at the beautiful face that was twisted in some kind of grimace. It was almost funny in some ways that Kakashi seemed to forget he wasn't wearing a mask around Iruka.

"Yeah... It's just... My father... He used to say that, too." For a moment, Kakashi just stared at Iruka in stunned silence, not believing what he had said. Then he smiled a little, albeit sadly. It seemed he had come to trust Iruka fully, then.

"Mine, too," Iruka grinned back. "But it was really more like a blanket ghost, or something." Iruka pulled the sheet over his head and stuck his arms out, making a weird sound. Kind of like a sick cat, but not as yowly. He sat down next to Kakashi, dragging the sheet off of his head. "I wonder if our parents knew each other." It was a strange, random thought, but Iruka suddenly realized he had no clue about his parents' lives away from him. Sandaime had told him a few things, and he had pictures. He had read some of the older mission reports filed by his parents, but most of them were still classified.

Kakashi shrugged. "I don't know. Father never really told me anything... When he...." He shook his head. "I found him, back then."

"Found him? Wait, what? What do you mean you found him?" Iruka was desperately trying to drag up any information he could from his memory. Kakashi's father was... well, the only Hatake Iruka knew of was the White Fang, Hatake Sakumo. Except, the man had committed suicide, in disgrace. At least, that's what Iruka had heard.

"My father... You've probably heard of him. Hatake Sakumo. I found him." Kakashi's eyes were downcast, he avoided looking at Iruka, and shifted slightly away from him, as if he was ashamed. "He committed seppuku..."

Iruka nodded. That was all he knew. He hadn't been more than 5 or 6 then, hadn't even started at the Academy yet. "And you found him?" Iruka couldn't help his jaw dropping open as he stared back at Kakashi. Iruka had been dragged away before his parents died, so he never actually witnessed their deaths. "Gods, Kakashi, that's terrible!"

When Kakashi looked up at Iruka again, his eyes seemed dead. "I didn't cry. When... When he died, like that... When he was disgraced... I swore to abide by the rules, live by the rules... I swore to _be_ the rules. That didn't change until Obito died."

"You? You swore to follow rules?" Iruka shook his head, because something was missing in the picture. The idea of Kakashi not being late, or not giving silly excuses, or not reading his near-porn in public... "How did that change you? Who is Obito?"

"Uchiha Obito... He was on my team. Constantly late, because he couldn't help but want to help old ladies cross the street, or do some other good deed." Kakashi smiled fondly. "Rin was captured. She was another one on our team. I said we'd leave her behind, but Obito refused. He ended up sacrificing himself for us, and... Just before he died, he told Rin to transfer his sharingan eye to my empty socket." He looked up at Iruka. "That's how I got my sharingan. And how I became the man I am today."

Uchiha. That explained a lot. It also made Sasuke's defection that much more agonizing. Iruka pulled Kakashi's hand to his face, dragging his lips across the knuckles. He didn't know what to say - he had questions, but really, what could he say? Kakashi had lost his jonin-sensei, his teammate, his father. He carried a reminder of Obito attached to his own body - he owed his very existence to his teammate. He never even mentioned his mother, which probably meant the truth was even worse. "I don't know what to say, Kakashi," Iruka said softly, after a moment, turning the hand over and kissing the palm.

Kakashi cupped Iruka's face and leaned in to kiss him. "You don't have to say anything, Iruka. Come, let's take our bath." He stood up, kicking his pants to the ground, and extended his hand to Iruka, head cocked to the side.

---

It had been just as Iruka thought - Kakashi was practically asleep the moment he got into the tub. Getting the man out had been interesting. Iruka hadn't even bothered with clothes. And so much for his other gift. Well, it would come in handy the next time.

That still left the chakra exchange to take care of, though. Iruka figured if it would be easier with Kakashi sleeping soundly in his arms. In a way, he hadn't been wrong, not exactly. It wasn't nearly as intense, but it wasn't easy, either. Listening to Kakashi moan his name over and over, begging for him in his sleep... Iruka was going to leave his book under Kakashi's pillow in the morning, with a bookmark in a special place. It was a childish, foolish revenge, but it was the only thing he could think of.

Iruka ended up getting out of bed, finishing up his grading, then doing push ups until he nearly collapsed. That required another rinse. Finally, he felt calm enough to sleep, sliding in next to Kakashi. Groaning to himself when skin touched skin, and Kakashi rolled over and slung an arm over his torso. It was, as Shikamaru loved to say, troublesome. Iruka closed his eyes, and eventually managed to sleep.

--

Hope you all enjoyed!


	24. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Naruto. Do own the Uzuki-clan.

**Warnings: **PLOT!

Hello, everyone. I've realized that it's been a while since I posted anything. I hope everyone will be happy to see this one coming! I've been very busy with real life – things such as moving to a completely different country, starting another year in college... And making new friends. So I proudly present to you -

---

**Wolf's Winter – Chapter Twenty-Three**

**---**

Iruka was looking forward to spending a full day at the Academy for a change. With Kakashi starting his rehabilitation today, Iruka didn't need to run home. He hoped Kakashi woke up early enough to eat - he had still been sleeping soundly when Iruka left. His students seemed a little tense today. Maybe it was excitement about the upcoming festival, or just being let off of school for nearly two weeks. Or the warm sunshine after several days of cold. Either way, he was going to take them outside for training this afternoon with Goko-sensei's class. Hide-and-go-seek was always more difficult when half of the trees had dropped their leaves.

He wondered how Kakashi was doing at the hospital. He didn't know the man's schedule, and didn't want to interrupt. He would just have to wait until he went home to find out. Iruka looked out the window at the children on the playground, eating. Something was off, but he really couldn't tell what it was.

"Iruka-sensei. Can I talk to you?" Sadako stood in the doorway, looking upset and much older than her ten years of age. There was an air of danger around her, as if she was about to burst.

"Sadako-chan! Of course you can talk to me. What's the problem?" Iruka didn't worry about what Sadako might read in his head, she didn't seem capable of concentrating on anything at the moment.

"They're expelling her. Mitsuko-chan isn't allowed to go to school anymore." She entered the room and walked over to stand beside him and look out of the window. "And do you know why? Because she defended herself. And they're scared of her."

Iruka shook his head because Sadako wasn't making any sense. "Whoa, stop. What are you talking about? Mitsuko-chan is in school today. I saw her."

"But they won't allow her to come back after New Year's! And they're going to make _you_ tell Mother and Father! Because they're too afraid of my Dad when he's angry." Sadako turned around and paced the length of the room before she kicked a chair in her anger. "And did you know one more thing? They do all of this because Uncle Riku killed his team. And they never look into the facts, because they're biased and stupid and I _hate_ them!" Sadako had finally had enough. Her entire body trembled with rage and the furniture in the room started to shake and lift from the ground. Small items were lifted from the surfaces of desks, and Iruka could feel himself being tugged into the telekinetic field she was building. Sadako's eyes were white and around her, there was a faint, white glow - just like the one that had been around Mitsuko.

"Uzuki Sadako, you are a shinobi-in-training! You will control yourself!" Iruka snapped in his best teacher voice. He still didn't have any idea of what happened, or why exactly she was upset, but if he didn't stop this now, things would get out of hand quickly.

She seemed to slump immediately and things settled down. Sadako sat down on the floor and sighed, heavily. "Mitsuko-nee was bullied by some boys yesterday, because she can't talk and she's different. After defending herself, the teachers decided that she isn't allowed to come back to the Academy after New Year's celebration, and they're going to leave explaining things to you. I don't think they were intending to let you know until tomorrow, the day before the meeting with my parents."

Iruka crouched down, watching Sadako carefully. She really seemed to believe what she was saying, and that alone was enough to make Iruka worry. "Tell me what happened with Mitsuko."

The little girl looked up at him, her grey eyes clouded with anger at the injustice of the world. "Some boys were throwing rocks at her and calling her freak. Of course, none of the rocks hit." She smiled. "She just held them suspended in the air. When she'd had enough, she sent them back at them. But, of course, they didn't stop at that. They were going to hit her, I think. So she took the one who seemed to lead them and flung him through the air. I came by, then, and she actually cried." Sadako worried her bottom lip. "I've... Never seen her cry before, Iruka-sensei."

"Until Tuesday, I had never heard her voice, either, Sadako-chan. Mitsuko-chan is going through a lot of changes right now. It's natural. Riku-san said he followed the same pattern." He sifted through everything Sadako had said while he gave her something to think about. "Was Mitsuko hurt?"

She shook her head. "No. Not physically, at least."

"Right. What happened after that?"

"The teachers had a meeting. They never even wanted to hear what I had to say in defense of her. They're so mean I just want to spit on them!" Sadako sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "I wish I was as strong as Neji-sama. I could do everything, then."

Iruka shook his head, smiling. "Neji would disabuse you of that notion quickly. Godaime is the most powerful shinobi in the village, and even she can't do everything." He sat on the floor, legs crossed, thinking. "How do you know the teachers had a meeting?" It must have happened after he left to take Kakashi to visit Tsunade. But he hadn't gotten a report in his box. Did they forget?

"I saw it. Besides, they aren't as good at hiding their thoughts as you are. And the reason why you haven't gotten a report in your box is because they're afraid of your temper."

"You saw the meeting? Or you saw the memories of the meeting in someone's head?" Iruka wasn't sure this was the best time to bring this up, but it was something Sadako would need to learn anyway.

"I knew it was going on while it was going on. But I could also pick up the memories later. And their feelings about it." She shrugged and looked out of the window. "I hate them."

"Sadako-chan, you are aware the human mind is complicated, right? It's not like a book. We are capable of creating memories, suppressing memories, even altering memories to fit our preferred version of reality." He held up his hand when Sadako looked like she was going to protest. "I'm just saying don't jump to conclusions. I'll look into it. Okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah... But I still know that she won't be coming back, because not everyone can remember the same thing, right?"

Iruka smiled his 'somebody is going to get it' smile, the kind that made his students tread very carefully. "Sometimes, yes, but usually, no. You'll get more into the psychology of crowds later. But I will look into it. And if I find out it's exactly as you saw..." He pulled himself back, shaking his head because really, he was a teacher. He shouldn't be telling a student he was going to yell at other teachers. It wasn't right. "Well, whatever I do, it's nothing compared to what your parents are going to do. Have you talked to them about this?"

"Dad saw it in my head when he saw I was upset. He screamed loudly and Mom had to calm him down." She smiled slightly, her upper body tilting to one side. "You don't want to see my Dad when he's angry, because it's very scary. Even scarier than you."

Focusing deliberately on Kakashi, Iruka nodded. He wasn't sure he wanted to see Ryu again, in any capacity. Not just yet. "I'm sure I don't. Hanako-san is bad enough. Were you there when your uncles burned down her kitchen?"

Sadako giggled. "Mmm hm. Mommy was very angry. She screamed at them and chased them around the house. Then Daddy picked her up and said that he was going to take care of her and calm her down, and she kicked and screamed at him to put her down. She nearly even used Jyuuken on him."

Iruka smiled back. He didn't know what he could do if it were true, but at least Sadako-chan was smiling. "I believe it. Okay, I promise I will look into it. Please try not to worry, okay?"

The small heiress to the Uzuki clan smiled and nodded. "I won't. Be careful, okay? And say hi to Mr Scarecrow." Out of the blue, she gave him a firm hug and ran out of the room, probably to find her younger sister.

Standing, Iruka walked over to the window and watched the children a little while longer. The first thing he needed to do was talk to Mitsuko. If the other teachers were deliberately keeping the events of yesterday from him, that might be difficult. But not impossible. Especially not for Mitsuko. If he let her know he wanted to talk, she would find a way.

---

Kakashi woke up to Iruka's scent on his pillow and inhaled deeply. The covers around him were still warm from the other man's body heat, so he couldn't have left all that long ago. He sat up and stretched, and felt something hard and sharp poke the back of his hip. He cocked and eyebrow and dug the book Iruka had brought out from under his pillow. Seeing it was marked, he flipped the book open and almost choked again, eyes more or less bulging out of his head. "Damn you, Iruka," he muttered, feeling blood rush rapidly from his head down to his groin. "Damn you to hell." He snapped the book shut and put it back under the pillow - he didn't have time for this right now.

Deciding that it was time to get dressed, Kakashi stepped out of bed and noticed that he felt a lot better than a good night's sleep would usually make him in his current state. He frowned. Had Iruka done the exchange while he was asleep? Kakashi definitely wouldn't put it past him. The chuunin was almost too dutiful for his own good.

He found a uniform and put it on, then tugged a mask over his head to hide his face. Fair enough. Iruka could see his face, Ryu and his family could see his face, but no one else. He decided against wrapping his legs, seeing as it would probably make things more difficult. Food would be in order now. Iruka had left him his typical lukewarm breakfast on the table by the bed, as well as the second tea Tsunade had prescribed. It didn't taste bad, just odd.

When he had eaten, Kakashi sat down on the porch and watched the morning sun. It warmed his skin and reminded him of Iruka. So strong and beautiful. He turned when rustling alerted him to someone else's appearance.

"Ah, Hatake-san, good. You're ready to go?" A man stepped into the main room, dressed in a medic's uniform. His nametag said 'Takeshi', with his designation as nurse following.

"I suppose I am." Kakashi stood, meticulously as ever, because he still ached, just a little. "Shall we walk?"

"Of course not. I have your wheelchair ready to go. This is your first day, Hatake-san. You're going to want to conserve your strength."

"I'm not sitting down in that monster." No way was he going to let _anyone_ but Iruka wheel him around in that thing. And maybe Guy, but only if Iruka wasn't available.

"Hatake-san, be reasonable. If you wear yourself out now, you won't get anything out of the exercises today. Even if I let you walk there, you wouldn't be able to walk home." The man waved his hand, beckoning. "Come on, the wheelchair is right in the entry. We're going to be late."

Kakashi glowered. "I. Will. Not. Let. You. Wheel. Me. Around. Understood?" This young man was testing his patience. All he really wanted was to growl and bare his teeth, but that would be difficult - his teeth weren't visible, after all.

Takeshi sighed and nodded. "She said you would probably be difficult. Actually, they all said that."

"Hatake-san, I'm afraid we must insist. Godaime is waiting for you at the hospital." Two men appeared, one on either side of Kakashi. Not touching him, but close enough Kakashi would find it impossible to get away if he made a run for it.

"_Fine. _But keep it out of public places, alright? I don't want to be seen like that." Kakashi sighed heavily. There was no way he would be able to fight off ANBU in his current state.

The two masked men looked at each other, and then at Takeshi. "We can do that," one of the men said. "Shall we go now?"

Kakashi looked from one, to the other. "Fine. Let's go now. Or we'll be _late_. Not that I'll mind terribly if we are." He flashed his serene smile, though in truth he was more annoyed than ever. Grrrrrrr. If he could kill _everyone _he'd be happy. Or... Not really.

---

True to their word, the men took a relatively untraveled path to the hospital. It wasn't the deserted way Iruka usually took, but Kakashi knew if he protested, they might just decide to roll him through the middle of town, and how humiliating would _that_ be? Soon, he would be better and he could put this entire experience in the 'Do Not Remember' part of his mind.

Then they were there, and Kakashi was ushered into another examination room. Tsunade sat on a stool, tapping her foot. "You're late."

"Oh, we had to wait for a mother duck and her ducklings to cross the path we were taking." Kakashi smiled. "It wouldn't do to just disregard them and unsettle their routine, you know."

Tsunade's eyes glittered for a moment, and Kakashi held his breath. She seemed unusually edgy today. "Shizune, is Otome-san here?"

"Ah, look, it's the vile little boy again," a familiar and despised voice grated from the doorway. "I'm here, Godaime. Poor thing, you just couldn't get well without Otome's help, could you?"

"Quite the contrary. You're just here to help me regain my musculature." Kakashi beamed up at her, deciding to be as infuriating as possible. "How is your granddaughter?"

"Fine, fine," Otome replied, smiling. "Although I must say, catching your handsome caretaker seems just about impossible at the moment. Such a busy young man. So let's get you healed up so I can set her up with Iruka-sensei, hmmm?"

Tsunade coughed and looked away. Kakashi could have sworn he saw her lips twitch. Must have been a trick of the light.

Kakashi smiled a little to himself. "Do you want me to undress, Otome-san?" He hid the slight trace of amusement in his voice perfectly. He _knew_ that when Iruka was done taking care of him, Otome's granddaughter would have no chance with Iruka. Not as long as Kakashi had a say in the matter, and he did now. Iruka was his lover, after all.

"Of course, if you're up to it. Let me know if you need Otome to help you," the woman replied, washing her hands at the sink.

This time Kakashi was sure Tsunade's lips twitched, and she coughed again, although it sounded a little shrill this time. "Sorry. Too much dust today," she said, covering her mouth and looking away.

Smiling again, Kakashi stood and started to unwrap, smiling wider and wider as more skin and several of his love bites became visible. In the end, he was almost naked, and most of his love bites - mostly centered around his neck, but also traveling down his chest and up his thighs - were revealed. "Well... I guess I was up to it."

Tsunade pressed her lips together before the laughter inside forced its way out. A thousand curses on the brat for goading her, and with her own words, no less. She needed Otome to do this, but damn, when the old woman finally figured it out...

"Godaime, I have some tea for the throat tickle. It tastes better than the one you use," Otome offered, walking over to Kakashi and dragging a finger across one of the marks. "Dear me, child, were you mauled by one of your nindogs?"

"No. I was rather passionately marked by my caretaker." Kakashi watched the old woman's face carefully, wanting to see her exact reaction, and also noticed Tsunade's eyes were glued to her face.

"Your caretaker?" And then it happened - it was everything Kakashi had hoped for. Her eyes bugged out, her face turned pale, then green, then red, then puce. Puce, Kakashi had heard that was a color, and if that wasn't puce, it really should be. Her mouth fluttered a bit, not quite like a fish, more like a moth. A moth about to dive into a candle and die.

Yet she seemed determined to misunderstand, asking instead, "What did you do to him to make him so angry? Not that I can blame him, you are the most annoying man I've ever met."

"Oh, I don't think I annoyed him. He seemed quite satisfied afterwards... Though..." Kakashi mused, smirking a little, "he seemed very annoyed when I didn't let him come. That's where this comes from." He pointed to a rather large, mostly healed but still angry bite at his neck.

"Careful, brat," Tsunade murmured. Not that she wasn't enjoying this, but talking about things like that, even in a hospital, just wasn't done. Not in front of someone like Otome, anyway. "Otome-san, why don't we let Sayomi start him off? It will be good training for her. I need your advice on another patient."

Otome nodded, shaking her head. "Why would he do something like that? He seemed like such a nice boy!"

Kakashi sighed. "He _is_ a nice man, Otome-san. The kindest person I have ever met. I promise to take good care of him." He bowed, which looked rather odd, coming from him, and sat down on the bench. He watched Otome to see if she would have a reaction to his words, but really just waited for her to leave.

"Meet me in Room 12. And send in Sayomi, please?" Tsunade stood up, watching the older woman leave, still shaking her head in confusion. Tsunade's lips were still twitching, but she wouldn't laugh until she found an empty room. "I hoped you cleared that with Iruka first," she said, her eyes staring Kakashi down. "He might not be happy to have his personal life broadcast across the village."

"I'll deal with that when it comes." And it probably won't be pleasant. "I have a tendency to be a little rash when I'm angry."

That did it, because that had to be the understatement of the year. Tsunade slumped down on the stool, dissolving into a fit of giggles that would have Shizune scowling at her for a week. "Did you see her face?" she gasped, trying to muffle herself with her hand. "I wonder what she was thinking? Too bad I didn't think to have one of the Uzuki brothers nearby."

Kakashi laughed. "That would have been interesting indeed, no?" He sighed and slumped back against the wall. "Iruka is going to kill me."

"Yes, he is," Tsunade gasped, pinching her wrist to try and stop another giggle fit. "Don't worry about it just yet, though." She stood up with her normal grin, her eyes glittering again. "Once we're done with you today, you're going to look so pathetic he'll probably forgive you on sight."

"Make it extra hard training, then. Perhaps he'll do more than forgive me." Kakashi cocked an eyebrow and shook his head. "This was... amusing. It felt good to put her back in line." In truth, Kakashi just felt very possessive of Iruka, and protective, too. The thought of Otome's granddaughter coming anywhere near him made him see red.

"Be very careful what you ask for, brat," Tsunade replied with another smile, nodding as a dark-haired woman entered the room. "Sayomi, you have him until lunch time. And, Kakashi? Just so you know, there are two guards outside. Just in case. So don't give Sayomi any problems."

Kakashi smiled up at the insecure-looking young girl, then turned to Tsunade. "Don't worry. I'll be kind as a lamb."

---

The exam was general, although Kakashi felt the young woman's hands lingered a little too long on the exposed bites. She didn't blush at all, even when following the ones down his hip to his inner thigh. Just before he was going to snap, she smiled and took out a tub of cream. "We'll do a quick massage, then we'll begin the stretching exercises."

An hour later, Kakashi wondered why they even bothered with healing him if they were just going to tear him down all at once. Sayomi's hands were digging into his thigh muscles as she forced the legs over her shoulders to touch his chest. It would have been a very compromising position, except for the pain. "Breathe through it. Don't hold your breath," she commanded as her hands twisted again.

Kakashi really _did_ try to breathe, but it was difficult. It hurt. Quite a lot. "Damnit... Gnnh! Woman! Do you get off on hurting people?" He wasn't really feeling good enough to be pleasant, so he just spoke his mind.

Sayomi grunted as she forced his legs down, but he didn't miss her eyes on his neck. "I would have thought it was you who got off on being hurt, Hatake-san." She was young, and didn't have Otome's generational squeamishness about sex. "So has he fucked you yet?"

"Nnnhhh! No. Not been strong enough yet." He _almost_ blushed, but didn't. He was too concentrated on the pain.

"Too bad," she said, pulling his legs down with a grin, then flexing his foot straight back while twisting his calf muscle. "My older brother went out with him several years ago. I remember him talking about it to his friends."

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow and groaned. "Indeed. And what did he say? Because I _know_ he's got to be good." He moaned in pain and nearly arched off the bench as her fingers dug into the side of his calf. That _stung_.

She winked and shook her head. "Nuh uh, not telling. Don't want to ruin the surprise. Besides, it might get back to my sister-in-law. Not something he wants his wife knowing about. You understand, huh?" She was bending his toes backwards, and Kakashi was sure she'd grown another arm or two. Or maybe a clone? There was no way one little girl was causing this much pain on her own.

He turned his head and checked. Nope. Still just the one. "I'm looking forward to finding out, though I'm not really in a hurry." His back arched as another wave of pain hit him, and he cried out sharply. "_Damn_ woman! _Do_ you get off on causing pain?"

Pulling back, Sayomi rolled him over onto his stomach. "But doesn't it feel so good when I stop?" she asked, chuckling in his ear. "I'll let you rest a bit. Then I'll work on your spine."

Kakashi groaned. "I'm so _not_ looking forward to that. But thank you for letting me rest." He almost whimpered with relief. Any thought of Iruka's anger was out of his mind - he didn't think it could surpass this pain either way.

---

When Sayomi was finished with him, Kakashi felt like a soggy noodle. Not one inch of his body had been spared. He was bending in ways he was pretty sure he was never meant to bend. Now he just wanted to sleep. For a month.

"Lunch time," Sayomi announced cheerfully, propping Kakashi up on the bed. "Godaime says you can sleep for an hour, then Otome-san will be in to start the real exercises."

"So... Lunch. Does that mean food? Because I'm pretty sure my stomach is trying to eat me." Kakashi wasn't sure he would be able to lift his arms, though. That might be a problem. "I think I'll just settle for sleeping and let my stomach eat me."

"Aw, and here I thought that was your boyfriend's job." Sayomi patted his leg and jumped up, stretching. "I'm sure one of the nurses won't mind feeding you."

"Errr... If you can find Uzuki Kenichi, I wouldn't mind. But anyone else is a big no-no. I don't want anyone to see my face." He smiled a little at her. Even though she had evil hands, he still liked this girl. "If not, I'll just sleep. And let Iruka kill me for not eating."

"Sure, I'll see if he's around. Thanks ever so much, Hatake-san. It's been a pleasure. I need to get my own lunch. I have another victim waiting." She winked again and left, practically bouncing with anticipation.

Kakashi shook his head and sighed. Women. Utterly insane, the lot of them.

---

Iruka erased the note he'd found on his blackboard after his own brief lunch. Mitsuko already knew he was looking for her. As long as Goko-sensei didn't change their plans for the day, it would be easy to find her, or rather, let her find him. He just needed to stay around the creek.

"Are we still on for the group training this afternoon?" he asked the other teacher, poking his head in the doorway just as the students were returning from their lunch.

The man looked away, but he nodded. "That's right." His eyes flickered around the room.

Probably making sure she's not in here, Iruka thought. "Okay, one of us needs to be by the creek. Otherwise..."

Goko nodded, grimacing. "Right. I don't know why they always think hiding in the water is a good idea. Um, I have guard duty after this."

"Oh, I'm free today. I'll take it. I know how I hate working in the Mission Room all wet."

The teacher flushed, just a little. "Thanks, Iruka-sensei. Give me thirty minutes to whip these guys into line, then, and we'll meet outside."

"Sure thing. I need to get back to my own little dears before they scatter again."

---

He waited, watching the other children trying to hide, correcting their techniques when he could. It was more for fun, but it got them used to trying to hide - if you could hide in a crowd of your classmates, you could hide from the enemy. Then he made his way to the creek, smiling and waving at Goko-sensei. Nothing to see here, just Iruka-sensei doing his job.

When Iruka finally reached the creek, Mitsuko was already waiting for him. She sat near the edge of the water, looking out at it. Her head was tilted to the side and she looked rather like she was listening to something the water told her.

When Iruka approached, she looked up and smiled that eerie, little smile at him. _Hello, Sensei._

Mitsuko-chan, he said silently. Tell me what happened yesterday. He kept his body turned, so he was able to see her, but he could still keep an eye on the other children. And their teacher, if he decided to drop by.

She turned back to the creek and hummed silently to herself, picking a small flower to let it float on the water. _After what happened with the boys... The teachers had a meeting. Even Goko-sensei blames me. They are afraid. But you aren't... Right?_

A little, Iruka admitted. But only because I know how you strong you are. And how young you are. You won't gain full control over your powers until you're much older. What happened to the boys?

Mitsuko shrugged and her face, at least what Iruka could see of her face, grew sad. _They weren't even scolded. They were the victims in this case, I suppose. At least.. That's what the other teachers think. They automatically shove the blame on me because of what Uncle did... Though he shouldn't really be blamed, either._ Mitsuko stood and walked over to a small squirrel, kneeling beside it. The animal skipped over and sniffed her hand, then settled down beside her. _You're afraid, but you dare to admit it. That's what makes you special, Iruka-sensei._ She smiled up at him. _That's what makes you strong. You face your fears head on... The other teachers don't, thinking that will make them seem brave. However, their pride eventually turns on them, and they are the true cowards. _

I'm not that special, Mitsuko-chan. The other teachers... they just didn't know Naruto as well as I did. He didn't bother reminding her he had been exactly like them before that day he took Naruto out to eat ramen - she already knew that. And even then it required Sandaime to really force him to change his behavior. How do you feel about this? Do you want to leave the Academy? he asked instead.

_Of course not. But I will not have a choice._ She let out a slight sigh as the squirrel skipped away. _And in the end... It will probably be just as well._ Mitsuko stood and walked back over to the creek. _I'll enjoy it while I can._

Iruka clamped down on the rage suddenly boiling in his stomach. She didn't need to feel this from him, and he certainly didn't need to lose his temper now, before he had demanded the answers he needed from his coworkers. I'll do what I can, Mitsuko-chan, he thought, hating that he couldn't just tell her it would be okay, he would make it better for her. If the teachers agreed, the procedures to get the decision overturned would require time and effort. The Academy wasn't strictly autonomous, but the Hokage didn't have direct control over it the way she did the ANBU, for example.

_You do not understand, Iruka-sensei. But... It might be just as well_. Mitsuko stroked his mind gently with her own and broke the connection, then sat down by the creek again, head tilted to the side as if listening.

"No, I'm sorry, I really don't," he answered out loud. He didn't understand how one little girl was turned into the monster because she used her own natural power to prevent a group of boys from throwing things at her. Bullying was tolerated to some extent, but this went beyond pushing and name-calling. How did this happen? And why was it kept from him?

But he had the confirmation he needed. Now he needed to find the boys and question them. Then he would confront the teachers. His eyes narrowed as his temper flared again. He hoped Kakashi's day was going better than his.

---


	25. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: **As stated endlessly many times before – I do not own any of the Naruto characters, though I wish I did. I'd like to add that anyone who uses Ryu, Hanako, Riku, or any of the Uzuki-clan that isn't Orochimaru, will be hunted down and tortured in the most random ways – I will sing loudly and off key, trust you me!

**Warnings: **Uninhibited abuse of Kakashi, potty mouth and hormones.

Another chapter for your enjoyment.

---

**Wolf's Winter – Chapter Twenty-Four  
**

**---**

Kakashi cried out as firm hands dug into his shoulders. It hurt so much he thought he was going to die, and that would be bliss, but he wouldn't be able to see Iruka again so he had to stay awake. "Gaaaaah!" He groaned and tried to wriggle free, but Sayomi's treatment had turned him to jelly.

"Oh come on," Otome grumbled, shaking her head. "Big strong man like you, this shouldn't hurt at all." She dug in her hands again, then stepped back. "Okay, now stand up and do it again." She'd had him holding one stretch, then another, for what seemed like hours. Even his bones were hurting.

Kakashi did as told and tried to hold back his groans of pain. It wouldn't surprise him if one single poke at the end of the day would reduce him to tears.

"See? Much better," Otome nodded, satisfied. Kakashi had to admit, it was easier to stand, and bend over, even if he really didn't have the energy to walk so much as two steps in either direction. And the old woman hadn't so much as mentioned Iruka, would could only be a good thing. "Now that next one."

He succumbed to her wish again. It really was a lot easier to move, but he would no doubt feel this later. "How much longer?" It was a fair question. He really just wanted to go to bed and cry.

"Another hour or so. Then Sayomi will come back in for a while, and then you'll be done for the day." She watched his movements carefully, shaking her head. "Keep your hips level. Tighten your abdominal muscles."

Doing as told again, Kakashi groaned and aligned his body. "Another hour... How long will Sayomi be in here, anyway?"

"Until I'm certain she knows what she's doing," the woman answered. "We must not be working you hard enough if you're still able to ask so many questions."

Kakashi groaned and pushed himself harder, determined to do his best and recover swiftly. It hurt, and by the end of the session he was unable to talk at all and could barely move, but at least his body was functioning better.

He groaned again when he heard an irritatingly chipper voice at the door. It had to be a henge. Nobody could be that perky all the time.

"Oh, Hatake-san, you look well. At least, you're not crying." Sayomi leaned down and looked at his eye carefully. "You're not crying, are you?"

He shook his head and glowered. Sadistic bitches. Of course... His visible eye wasn't crying. Obito's eye was a completely different matter.

"Okay, girl, let's get to work. Otherwise his muscles are going to cramp up. Grab that leg, I'll take this one."

Kakashi's eyes bugged out as he watched them move. Not a single muscle in his body twitched, but he was quite certain that this would be a horrible experience.

If one of the therapists was bad, two was even worse. Exponentially worse. He held his breath when he felt hands just south of his groin, right where his legs joined his body. Then the women pulled his legs apart, simultaneously digging into that sensitive area with their fingers, and Kakashi knew everything else up to then had been a warm-up.

He bit his lip in order not to scream as they went from body part to body part, and by the end of the long session, he was an aching, shivering, whimpering lump of man. Kakashi was quite certain that these women would have been a wonderful asset to T&I. However, even if he was a shivering, whimpering and aching mess, he was also a mess well on his way to recovery. That had to count for something.

---

School was almost over. Konohamaru bent over his work, his eyes shifting to the window.

"Don't even think about it," came the terse response from the man at the lectern, working on his own paperwork. "You have thirty more minutes."

Moegi glared at him before she continued working on her own quiz.

He sighed, silently, because Iruka-sensei had been tense and distracted ever since they came in from the training field. Obviously not distracted enough, he realized, when a kunai sliced through the air, leaving a few strands of his hair fluttering to the ground.

"Konohamaru." The entire class seemed to hold its breath, waiting to see what their volatile teacher was going to do.

"Yes, Iruka-sensei. I'm working." Konohamaru began to scribble furiously. Two more days. He could handle two more days. Maybe.

---

Iruka carefully finished the last page of the report. He'd carefully documented each boy's story, as well as Mitsuko's, and Sadako's. He had a copy of the school's charter and guidelines, and he'd sent a note to Izumo asking him to dig around the archives for any other instances of a child being, well, expelled. Technically, Mitsuko could still become a genin without ever attending the Academy, but that wasn't the point. The point was she wasn't at fault. Iruka bit his lip, forcing his rage into his hand. He'd forced this meeting, and he was going to make damn sure he was ready for it.

Just in time, because the bell rang. He nodded as the children filed out of the room, eerily silent. He couldn't blame them. He knew he was practically vibrating from anger. Fortunately, only Konohamaru seemed inclined to test him this afternoon. He set his papers into his satchel and shut off the lights. The entire school would be cleaned tomorrow and Saturday, in preparation for the New Year, so he didn't worry about tidying up. It could be done later.

He opened the door to the teacher's workroom, unable to keep his face neutral this time. His coworkers were already there - nobody bothered with detention so close to the Winter Break. Better to make the rule breakers do more than their share of work tomorrow.

"Iruka-sensei." The Director stood up, nodding at the other teachers. They all took their seats, waiting until Iruka was in his. "We have made the decision to remove Uzuki Mitsuko from the Academy."

"Why?"

"It's not your place to ask why. Remember that. However, you seem to get along well with difficult parents. So you will be meeting with the girl's parents after school on Saturday."

"I think it is my place to ask why. She was attacked by several of her classmates. To date, not one of the boys has been disciplined. Yet, you want to remove her from school. I'm asking why."

"No attack took place," Goko-sensei explained. "Technically, none of the stones hit, so no attack took place. She was unharmed. The same can't be said for the boys."

Iruka pressed his lips together, shaking his head. So that's how it was. It couldn't be bullying if she wasn't actually touched. They were going to use her kekkei genkai against her. "That isn't what Mitsuko-chan said."

"Oh, does she talk now? Well, that is different." The Director smiled, and Iruka wanted so badly to plant his fist in the middle of that smug face.

"She doesn't need to speak to tell her side of the story."

"Actually, yes, she does. Anything not obtained through a firsthand account is considered hearsay. And she can't give a firsthand account unless she can speak." Goko-sensei flashed a brief look at the Director. So, they'd expected that one.

"She is Goko-sensei's student. Why must I talk to her parents?"

The Director shifted and looked at Goko-sensei. "He has another obligation that will prevent him from being here that afternoon. You have her twin in your class, so it made the most sense to have you do it. You've met their mother before."

"And their father, as well," Iruka snarled. "And all but one of their uncles, including Riku-san, who will be released in another week." He hid a smile of triumph when their expressions faltered. "I am also currently involved with an old friend of Mitsuko's father. As you can see, I am rather intimately acquainted with the Uzuki family."

"Uh, that is to say..." the Director stuttered, glaring at the other teachers. Iruka didn't need to read minds to know he would be yelling at them later. But it had placed the man in an awkward position - he had already told Iruka his decision, but that decision was clearly wrong given Iruka's personal involvement with the Uzuki family.

"Even better," one of the older teachers offered. "They won't get mad at you when you give them the news."

"Are you all insane?" Iruka yelled, finally on his feet. "Have you learned nothing about these girls? Did you even read their files? Do you really think Uzuki-san is not already _aware_ of your decision?"

"Exactly so, Iruka-sensei. And yet, he hasn't shown up here, demanding an explanation. So we have to assume the parents agree this is the best option for their daughter as well." The Director gave another little smile, his equilibrium restored. "This isn't a request. This is part of your job. You will do your job, or you will resign."

He was tempted at that moment. Tempted to nod and agree that yes, those were exactly his choices, and he chose to resign. But he loved his job, and he was good at it. And if he resigned, he would be unable to protect Sadako from the repercussions. The other students would blame her, and her life at school would become unbearable. If he resigned, he wouldn't have any authority to continue searching for a loophole. If he resigned, he would be breaking a promise to Sandaime.

The longer he sat, silent, the more tense the other men became. The Director was quailing inside. How could they not know Iruka had such a connection to the family? And just how serious was this relationship, if Iruka was even considering resigning rather than break the news to the family? He was the teacher of the Rookie 9! He worked closely with the Hokage, and had several friends among the tokujo ranks. To lose him over this... He glared at Goko-sensei, shaking his head.

Iruka stood up. "I will think about this and give you my answer tomorrow."

"No, I'm afraid we need an answer now. We've, um, already sent the notice to the girl's parents." Goko-sensei tried to stare the younger teacher down. They had discussed this possibility, and they were all sure Iruka wouldn't resign over this.

Slamming his fist down on the table, Iruka opened his mouth. Something was going to come out, and he didn't know what, but whatever it was, he was tired of holding it back.

"Tomorrow will be fine, Iruka-sensei," the Director said quickly, glaring at the other man. He'd worked with Iruka long enough to know that particular look. "Don't want to make any hasty decisions, right?" He tried to smile, hoping it didn't come out looking crooked.

"Of course not," Iruka said in response. "We wouldn't want the Academy to become known for that, would we?"

"You realize this is considered internal Academy business. You aren't allowed to discuss this outside of this room. With anyone. Not even your, um..."

"My _Um_ is my own business. And I know what contract I signed when I joined. It hasn't been that long." He nodded at the other teachers. "Gentlemen. If that is all?"

"You're dismissed," the Director said, knowing that Iruka was leaving on his own terms, but thankful the man was allowing him the illusion he was still in charge.

Iruka didn't slam the door behind him, but he wanted to.

---

"Do we or do we not live in a Hidden Village, full of shinobi, known worldwide as the masters of warfare?"

Nobody answered, although all eyes were shifting to Goko-sensei.

"We just beat off a combined attack by Sand and Sound. We just had one of our own graduates promoted to chuunin less than a year after he became a genin. And yet, somehow, nobody thought to look into Iruka's background with this family?"

"It's irrelevant," Goko-sensei replied.

"The hell it is! When he calms down, he's going to pull out the charter and the guidelines and he's going to go in front of the Council and I'm going to be the one..."

"That's only if he doesn't resign. And the last open Council meeting of the year is tonight."

The Director nodded, taking his seat. "True. Okay, I suppose there's nothing to be done about it at the moment. We'll have our staff meeting Saturday morning. Don't forget the party Saturday night."

The men stood up, gathering their things up for their trips home, or to their next assignment. Nobody spoke about what had just happened.

---

"What we actually came for, Hiashi-sama, is to ask for your help. Any help that you can offer." Hanako bowed her head and had to put down the cup she was holding because her hands were trembling. Ryu stroked his wife's back gently. "Mitsuko is being removed from the Academy."

"Removed? Are you sure that's wise, Hanako-san?" Hiashi put his own cup down, surprised. Sure, the Academy wasn't the easiest place for those special children, like the Uzuki and the Hyuuga, but hiding them away wasn't the answer.

"Hiashi-sama... It isn't our choice. The teachers are removing her." She bit down on her rage and looked up at him. To his great surprise, tears were forming in her eyes and her entire jaw trembled.

That was completely different. No Hyuuga had been expelled from the Academy. Ever. "Are they?" he answered, giving himself time to calm down and think. "And do they have a reason for this?"

"She defended herself against a band of bullying boys." Hanako's teeth were gnashing. "And they're using her kekkei genkai against her."

Hiashi shook his head. Something didn't make sense. "I'm not sure I'm understanding this. Perhaps you should explain the entire incident."

Hanako nodded, giving the version of events they had gleaned from their children, as well as the teachers' minds. It took a while, because she had to explain who thought what, and where each piece came from.

While she spoke, Hiashi listened, but his mind was only half on her explanation. He remembered growing up, surrounded by the fear and suspicion of the other shinobi. He'd heard stories of other villages systematically eradicating those with bloodline limits, powers that couldn't be controlled, that seemed almost supernatural. It was beginning to change, here in Konoha, at least for the Hyuuga.

"Have you spoken to your daughter's teacher about this?"

"No. Ryu has figured out that they will probably not listen to us, even if he is the head of the Uzuki household." Hanako frowned, furiously wiping at her eyes. "If Riku went, they would probably listen out of fear, but no justice would be gained. Also, it's difficult because he's in the ward." Hanako let out a slight sniffle and took a deep breath. "A victory like that would be no victory at all. I have a feeling that if we asked him, he would say that and smile sadly."

Ryu rubbed a hand down Hanako's spine and sighed deeply. "I went to talk to him, to ask for advice, but he just sat there an hummed, even if his eyes were completely sane. His thoughts were closed to me." He shrugged. "As for now, we're trying to gain justice the right way."

Hiashi nearly snorted. The idea of such a powerful family having to creep and crawl around, begging for justice. He could feel a stirring of anger in his gut, but he couldn't allow that to sway his thoughts. He had to put his own family's interests first. Hanabi was at the Academy, and Neji would likely make chuunin in another month or so, when the next exams were held. If he publicly stepped in now, he could jeopardize his own family's advancement.

"I'm not sure what you think I could do," he explained. "Perhaps it would be best to follow the regular process for now. I know there are ways to protest the expulsion."

Hanako visibly deflated. "Yes, Hiashi-sama. Thank you for listening to our troubles." She swallowed hard. "We're going to try until we succeed, either way." The woman flashed a weak smile and bowed her head, shoulders trembling, fists clenched. Her husband didn't seem very affected, but if Hiashi looked into his eyes, he could see a slowly burning and highly fierce flame of anger there.

"Reign yourself in, Uzuki-san," Hiashi said gently. He understood, oh, he did. And he wasn't going to sit by helplessly and watch either. He couldn't get involved directly, but he could help the couple in other ways. "Showing your anger will only prove the teachers were right to fear your daughter. Riku-san's situation is regrettable, but it can't be helped. It is up to you to show them his behavior was the aberration, not the rule."

"Yes, Hiashi-sama. But... Riku only selected the lesser of two evils. However, I think you understand that. The others are the ones who don't, and they don't seem to want to either." Ryu bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your kind advice."

Returning the bow, Hiashi rapped on the table. A servant slid the door open, waiting respectfully to show the couple out. I'll be attending the council meeting tonight, Hiashi thought, looking at Ryu as he stood up. If I hear anything, I'll let you know. He smiled, returning Hanako's bow. "While it's true the Hokage does not have direct control over the Academy, I am certain Godaime would be interested to hear how the teachers are spending their time."

Hanako and Ryu smiled and stood, then bowed deeply once more. "Thank you so much for all the advice, Hiashi-sama." Ryu looked up at him, nodding that he'd understood, then straightened and placed a hand between his wife's shoulder blades. "Yes, thank you, Hiashi-sama." Hanako smiled, then they turned and followed the servant out.

When the servant returned, he found the room empty. He sighed, shaking his head. It was unlike Hyuuga-sama to lose control like that, crouching down to pick up the wooden splinters of what was left of the table.

---

He wasn't sure what hurt more - his back, his arms, his legs... About the only thing that didn't really hurt was his head, but that hurt too, since he'd been clenching muscles to steel off the pain. If Iruka decided to kill him today, that would be alright by him. Because he really hurt too much. "One thing is sure," he mused to himself, "I'm never getting this badly injured again. And if I do I'll just lay down and die."

"Oh, don't do that. I would hate to think all my hard work was for nothing," Sayomi replied, hiding a yawn behind her hand as she poured another glass of tea. "Here, you can rest for a while. Drink this, then someone will be in to finish up. Be sure and give Iruka-sensei those papers Otome-san gave you. You'll need to keep doing the stretching exercises at home tonight. About once an hour. Shouldn't take more than ten minutes."

Kakashi almost cried then and there. "Okay," he said, and sipped the tea. It wasn't as vile as the stuff Tsunade made him drink, but it still wasn't what he liked best. He seriously hoped that Iruka would be able to support him. Then he sighed. Of course Iruka would be able to support him, he'd carried him to the bed countless times. But would he _want_ to support him? Kakashi really hoped so, because without Iruka's help he was most likely to fall flat on his face. "Can I sleep for a little?"

"Sure. I've got some paperwork to do, so I'll leave you alone. I'll tell one of the nurses to stop by in fifteen minutes or so."

Kakashi nodded and sank back into the blankets. How he _managed _to nod off was beyond him, but he did. It felt good to just relax for once. Really good.

Smiling to himself, Kakashi was asleep within seconds.


End file.
